Semiconductor integrated circuit device having capacitor element

ABSTRACT

In a complete CMOS SRAM having a memory cell composed of six MISFETs formed over a substrate, a capacitor element having a stack structure is formed of a lower electrode covering the memory cell, an upper electrode, and a capacitor insulating film (dielectric film) interposed between the lower electrode and the upper electrode. One electrode (the lower electrode) of the capacitor element is connected to one storage node of a flip-flop circuit, and the other electrode (the upper electrode) is connected to the other storage node. As a result, the storage node capacitance of the memory cell of the SRAM is increased to improve the soft error resistance.

This application is a Continuation application of application Ser. No.10/756,305, filed Jan. 14, 2004, which is a Continuation application ofapplication Ser. No. 10/270,193, filed Oct. 15, 2002 now U.S. Pat. No.6,737,712, which is a Continuation application of Ser. No. 09/998,628,filed Dec. 3, 2001 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,476,453, which is a Continuationapplication of Ser. No. 09/835,419, filed Apr. 17, 2001 now U.S. Pat.No. 6,396,111, which is a Divisional application of Ser. No. 09/434,385,filed Nov. 5, 1999 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,245,611, which is a Continuationapplication of Ser. No. 09/066,763, filed Apr. 28, 1998 now U.S. Pat.No. 6,030,865, which is a Divisional application of Ser. No. 08/682,243,filed Jul. 17, 1996 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,780,910, the contents of whichare incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuitdevice and a technique for manufacturing the same and, moreparticularly, to a technique which is effective when applied to asemiconductor integrated circuit device having an SRAM (Static RandomAccess Memory).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The CMOS SRAM, in which are combined a high resistance load type orcomplete CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) type memory celland a peripheral circuit composed of a complementary MISFET(Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor Field-Effect-Transistor) (CMOSFET), hasbeen used for a cache memory of a computer or workstation of the priorart.

The memory cell of the CMOS SRAM is composed of a flip-flop circuit forstoring information of 1 bit, and two transfer MISFETs. The flip-flopcircuit of the high resistance load type is composed of a pair of driverMISFETs and a pair of resistance elements, whereas the flip-flop circuitof the complete CMOS type is composed of a pair of driver MISFETs and apair of load MISFETs.

In recent years, the SRAM of this kind has been required to miniaturizethe memory cell size to increase the capacity and speed and to lower theoperating voltage to reduce the power consumption of the system.However, to meet the requirement, a problem that the resistance to softerror due to alpha rays (d-ray) must be solved.

The soft error due to alpha rays is a phenomenon that alpha rays (Henuclei) contained in cosmic rays or emitted from radioactive atomscontained in the resin materials of LSI packages, come into the memorycell to break the information retained in the information storagesection.

An alpha particle has an energy of 5 eV and produces an electron-holepair when it is incident upon the silicon (Si) substrate. When an alpharay comes into a storage node at a “High” potential level, of the memorycell, the electron produced by the alpha-ray, flows to the storage nodesso that the hole flows to the substrate. As a result, the charge andpotential of the storage node instantly decrease to invert theinformation of the memory cell with a certain probability.

In the case of an SRAM, the increase in the storage node capacitance ofthe memory cell is effective in improving the aforementioned resistanceto soft error due to alpha rays.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,483,083 discloses a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) completeCMOS SRAM in which the load MISFETs are made of two-layeredpolycrystalline silicon film formed over the driver MISFET. In the SRAM,as disclosed, the gate electrode of one of the load MISFETs is partiallyextended to above the source or drain region of the other of the loadMISFETs, and a capacitor element is formed of the gate electrode, thesource or drain region and a insulating film interposed between theformer two so that the storage node capacitance may be increased.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus, in the high resistance load SRAM and the TFT complete CMOS SRAM,countermeasures have been taken in the prior art to increase the storagenode capacitance of the memory cell.

It has been considered that in the case of the so-called bulk CMOS SRAM,out of the complete CMOS SRAM, in which all the six MISFETs consisting amemory cell are formed in the semiconductor substrate, anycountermeasure to increase the storage node capacitance is unnecessary.

The reason will be described in the following. A bulk CMOS SRAM havingload MISFETs formed in a semiconductor substrate has a high currentdriving ability and a large storage node capacitance because the area ofthe load MISFETs is relatively large. As a result, sufficient charge canbe fed to the storage node even if the potential of the storage node isfluctuated by the incidence of a alpha ray.

However, we have found out the following fact. In the bulk CMOS SRAM,too, the current driving ability of the load MISFETs drops if theminiaturization of the memory cell size further advances. If theoperation voltage further drops, the amount of charge stored in thestorage node drops, so that the potential fluctuation of the storagenode due to alpha rays cannot be suppressed, deteriorating the softerror resistance.

An object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable ofimproving the soft error resistance of an SRAM adopting the bulk CMOStype.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a techniquecapable of promoting the miniaturization of the SRAM adopting the bulkCMOS type.

The foregoing and other objects and novel features of the presentinvention will become apparent from the following description to be madewith reference to the accompanying drawings.

The representatives of the invention to be disclosed herein will besummarized in the following.

According to the semiconductor integrated circuit device of the presentinvention, in a complete CMOS SRAM in which the gate electrodes of apair of driver MISFETs, a pair of load MISFETs and a pair of transferMISFETs constituting a memory cell are composed of a first conductivefilm formed over the principal face of a semiconductor substrate, acapacitor element is composed of a second conductive film formed overthe memory cell, an insulating film (dielectric film) formed over thesecond conductive film, and a third conductive film formed over theinsulating film, the second conductive film and one of the storage nodesof the memory cell are electrically mutually connected, and the thirdconductive film and the other storage node of the memory cell areelectrically connected.

In the semiconductor integrated circuit device, the one electrode of thecapacitor element and the one storage node are electrically connected toeach other through one of a pair of metal wiring lines composed of afirst metal film formed over the third conductive film, and the otherelectrode of the capacitor element and the other storage node areelectrically connected to each other through the other of the pairedmetal wiring lines.

In the semiconductor integrated circuit device of the present invention:the second conductive film constituting the one electrode of thecapacitor element and the third conductive film constituting the otherelectrode of the capacitor element are individually composed of n-typepolycrystalline silicon films; the one electrode of the capacitorelement is electrically connected to the drain region of one of thepaired driver MISFETs through a first contact hole and to one of thepaired metal wiring lines through a second contact hole made above thefirst contact hole; and the other electrode of the capacitor element iselectrically connected to the drain region of the other of the paireddriver MISFETs through a third contact hole and to the other of thepaired metal wiring lines through a fourth contact hole made above thethird contact hole.

In the semiconductor integrated circuit device of the present invention:the second conductive film constituting the one electrode of thecapacitor element and the third conductive film constituting the otherelectrode of the capacitor element are individually composed of n-typepolycrystalline silicon films; the one electrode of the capacitorelement is electrically connected to the one metal wiring line at theside wall of a fifth contact hole for connecting one of the paired metalwiring lines to the drain region of one of the paired driver MISFETselectrically; and the other electrode of the capacitor element iselectrically connected to the other metal wiring line at the side wallof a sixth contact hole for connecting the other of the paired metalwiring lines and the drain region of the other of the paired driverMISFETs electrically.

In the semiconductor integrated circuit device of the present invention:the second conductive film constituting the one electrode of thecapacitor element and the third conductive film constituting the otherelectrode of the capacitor element are composed of an n-typepolycrystalline silicon film and a p-type polycrystalline silicon filmrespectively; the one electrode composed of the n-type polycrystallinesilicon film is electrically connected to the drain region of the one ofthe paired driver MISFETs through a seventh contact hole and to the oneof the paired metal wiring lines through an eighth contact hole madeabove the seventh contact hole; and the other electrode composed of thep-type polycrystalline silicon film is electrically connected to thedrain region of the other of the paired load MISFETs through a ninthcontact hole and to the other of the paired metal wiring lines through atenth contact hole made above the ninth contact hole.

In the semiconductor integrated circuit device of the present invention,a reference voltage line for feeding a reference voltage to the sourceregions of the paired driver MISFETs and a power voltage line forfeeding a power voltage to the source regions of the paired load MISFETsare composed of the first metal film.

In the semiconductor integrated circuit device of the present invention:a pair of complementary data lines are composed of a second metal filmformed over the first metal film; one of the paired complementary datalines is electrically connected to the source region of one of thepaired transfer MISFETs through one of a pair of pad layers composed ofthe first metal film; and the other of the paired complementary datalines is electrically connected to the source region of the other of thepaired transfer MISFETs through the other of the paired pad layers.

In the semiconductor integrated circuit device of the present invention,the capacitor element having the second conductive film, an insulatingfilm formed over the second conductive film and a third conductive filmformed over the insulating film is formed in the peripheral circuit ofthe SRAM.

In the semiconductor integrated circuit device of the present invention,the MISFETs constituting the peripheral circuit of the SRAM and themetal wiring lines formed over the third conductive film areelectrically connected through the pad layers composed of the secondconductive film or the third conductive film.

A process for manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device ofthe present invention, comprises:

-   (a) the step of forming the gate electrodes of the driver MISFETs,    the load MISFETs and the transfer MISFETs, of a first conductive    film over the principal face of a semiconductor substrate;-   (b) the step of forming a pair of electrodes and a capacitor    insulating film (dielectric film) of a capacitor element, of a    second conductive film over the first conductive film, an insulating    film over the second conductive film, and a third conductive film    over the insulating film; and-   (c) the step of forming a pair of metal wiring lines by patterning a    first metal film, formed over the third conductive film, to connect    one electrode of the capacitor element and one storage node of the    memory cell electrically through one of the paired metal wiring    lines and to connect the other electrode of the capacitor element    and the other storage node of the memory cell electrically through    the other of the paired metal wiring lines.

A semiconductor integrated circuit device manufacturing process of thepresent invention, comprises:

-   (a) the step of forming the paired driver MISFETs, the paired load    MISFETs and the paired transfer MISFETs, and then making a first    contact hole reaching the drain region of one of the paired driver    MISFETs by etching a first insulating film formed over these    MISFETs;-   (b) the step of forming one electrode of the capacitor element by    patterning the second conductive film of an n-type polycrystalline    silicon film, formed over the first dielectric film, to connect one    electrode of the capacitor element and the drain region of the one    of the driver MISFETs electrically through the first contact hole;-   (c) the step of forming the capacitor insulating film (dielectric    film) over the one electrode of the capacitor element, and then    making a second contact hole reaching the drain region of the other    of the paired driver MISFETs and the gate electrode common to the    one of the driver MISFETs and one of the paired load MISFETs by    etching the capacitor insulating film;-   (d) the step of forming the other electrode of the capacitor element    by patterning the third conductive film of an n-type polycrystalline    silicon film, formed over the capacitor element, to mutually connect    the other electrode of the capacitor element, the drain region of    the other of the driver MISFETs, and the gate electrode common to    the one of the driver MISFETs and the one of the load MISFETs,    electrically through the second contact hole;-   (e) the step of making a third contact hole reaching the one    electrode of the capacitor element, a fourth contact hole reaching    the other electrode of the capacitor element, a fifth contact hole    reaching the drain region of the one of the driver MISFETs and the    gate electrode common to the other of the paired load MISFETs and    the other of the driver MISFETs, and a sixth contact hole reaching    the drain region of the other of the load MISFETs; and-   (f) the step of forming, by patterning the first metal film formed    over the interlayer insulating film: a first metal wiring line, one    end of which is electrically connected through the third contact    hole to one electrode of the capacitor element and the other end of    which is electrically connected through the fifth contact hole to    the drain region of the one of the driver MISFETs and the gate    electrode common to the other of the load MISFETs and the other of    the driver MISFETs; and a second metal wiring line, one end of which    is electrically connected through the fourth contact hole to the    other electrode of the capacitor element and the other end of which    is electrically connected through the sixth contact hole to the    drain region of the other of the load MISFETs.

A semiconductor integrated circuit device manufacturing process of thepresent invention comprises:

-   (a) the step of making a seventh contact hole reaching the source    region of one of the paired transfer MISFETs and an eighth contact    hole reaching the source region of the other of the paired transfer    MISFETs;-   (b) the step of forming a first pad layer electrically connected to    the source region of the one of the transfer MISFETs through the    seventh contact hole, and a second pad layer electrically connected    to the source region of the other of the transfer MISFETs through    the eighth contact hole, by patterning the first metal film;-   (c) the step of making a ninth contact hole reaching the first pad    layer and a tenth contact hole reaching the second pad layer, by    etching a second interlayer insulating film formed over the first    metal film; and-   (d) the step of forming one of complementary data lines electrically    connected to the first pad layer through the ninth contact hole and    the other of the complementary data lines electrically connected to    the second pad layer through the tenth contact hole, by etching a    second metal film formed over the second interlayer insulating film.

A semiconductor integrated circuit device manufacturing process of thepresent invention comprises:

-   (a) the step of forming, after all of the paired driver MISFETs, the    paired load MISFETs and the paired transfer MISFETs have been    formed, a first insulating film over all of the MISFETs and then    forming one electrode of the capacitor element by patterning the    second conductive film of an n-type polycrystalline silicon film,    formed over the first insulating film;-   (b) the step of forming the other electrode of the capacitor    element, after the capacitor insulating film has been formed over    the one electrode of the capacitor element, by patterning the third    conductive film of an n-type polycrystalline silicon film formed    over the insulating film;-   (c) the step of making, by etching the first interlayer insulating    film formed over the other electrode of the capacitor element: a    first contact hole reaching the drain region of one of the paired    driver MISFETs through one electrode of the capacitor element; a    second contact hole reaching the drain region of one of the paired    load MISFETs and the gate electrode connected the other of the    paired load MISFETs and the other of the paired driver MISFETs; a    third contact hole reaching the drain region of the other of the    driver MISFETs and the gate electrode common to the one of the    driver MISFETs and the one of the load MISFETs through the other    electrode of the capacitor element; and a fourth contact hole    reaching the drain region of the other of the load MISFETs; and-   (d) the step of forming, by patterning the first metal film formed    over the interlayer insulating film: a first metal wiring line, one    end of which is electrically connected through the first contact    hole to one electrode of the capacitor element and the drain region    of the one of the driver MISFETs, and the other end of which is    electrically connected through the second contact hole to the drain    region of the one of the load MISFETs and the gate electrode common    to the other of the load MISFETs and the other of the driver    MISFETs; and a second metal wiring line, one end of which is    electrically connected through the third contact hole to the other    electrode of the capacitor element, the drain region of the other of    the driver MISFETs and the gate electrode common to the one of the    load MISFETs and the one of the driver MISFETs, and the other end of    which is electrically connected through the fourth contact hole to    the drain region of the other of the load MISFETs.

A semiconductor integrated circuit device manufacturing process of thepresent invention comprises:

-   (a) the step of forming the paired driver MISFETs, the paired load    MISFETs and paired transfer MISFETs, and then making a first contact    hole reaching the drain region of the other of the paired load    MISFETs by etching the first insulating film formed over all of the    MISFETs;-   (b) the step of forming one electrode of the capacitor element by    patterning the second conductive film composed of a p-type    polycrystalline silicon film formed over the first insulating film    to connect one electrode of the capacitor element and the drain    region of the other of the load MISFETs electrically through the    first contact hole;-   (c) the step of forming the insulating film over the one electrode    of the capacitor element, and making a second contact hole reaching    the drain region of the one of the paired driver MISFETs, by etching    the insulating film;-   (d) the step of forming the other electrode of the capacitor element    by patterning the third conductive film of an n-type polycrystalline    silicon film formed over the insulating film to connect the other    electrode of the capacitor element and the drain region of the one    of the driver MISFETs electrically through the second contact hole;-   (e) the step of making, by etching the first interlayer insulating    film formed over the other electrode of the capacitor element: a    third contact hole reaching the one electrode of the capacitor    element; a fourth contact hole reaching the other electrode of the    capacitor element; a fifth contact hole reaching the drain region of    the one of the driver MISFETs and the gate electrode common to the    other of the load MISFETs and the other of the paired driver    MISFETs; and a sixth contact hole reaching the drain region of the    other of the driver MISFETs, the one of the paired load MISFETs and    the one of the driver MISFETs; and-   (f) the step of forming, by patterning the first metal film formed    over the interlayer insulating film: a first metal wiring line one    end of which is electrically connected through the fourth contact    hole to the other electrode of the capacitor element and the other    end of which is electrically connected through the sixth contact    hole to the drain region of the one of the load MISFETs and the gate    electrode common to the other of the load MISFETs and the other of    the driver MISFETs; and a second metal wiring line one end of which    is electrically connected through the third contact hole to the one    electrode of the capacitor element and the other end of which is    electrically connected through the sixth contact hole to the drain    region of the other of the driver MISFETs and the gate electrode    common to the one of the load MISFETs and the one of the driver    MISFETs.

A semiconductor integrated circuit device manufacturing process of thepresent invention comprises: the step of thinning, prior to the step ofmaking contact holes reaching both the gate electrode common to the oneof the paired driver MISFETs and the one of the paired load MISFETs andthe gate electrode common to the other of the paired driver MISFETs andthe other of the paired load MISFETs by etching the first interlayerinsulating film, a portion of the insulating film covering theindividual ones of the gate electrodes.

According to the means described above, one of the electrodes of thecapacitor element composed of the second conductive film, the thirdconductive film and the insulating film interposed between the twoconductive films, is connected to one storage node, and the otherelectrode is connected to the other storage node, so that sufficientcharge is fed to the storage nodes through the capacitor element. As aresult, even when the memory cell is miniaturized or when the operatingvoltage is lowered, the potential fluctuation of the storage nodes dueto alpha rays is suppressed to improve the soft error resistance of thememory cell.

By constructing a capacitor element of the peripheral circuit using thetwo-layered conductive film deposited on the semiconductor substrate,according to the means described above, the area occupied by theelements can be made smaller than that of the capacitor element using adiffused layer (pn junction) formed over the semiconductor substrate, sothat the area of the peripheral circuit can be reduced to raise thedegree of integration of the SRAM.

By connecting the semiconductor regions of the MISFETs and the wiringlines through the pad layers which are formed at the same step as thatof the electrodes of the capacitor element, according to the meansdescribed above, the mask aligning margin at the time when theconnection is made over the semiconductor region by etching using aphotoresist as the mask can be reduced to reduce the area of the MISFETsand thereby to raise the degree of integration of the SRAM.

By thinning a portion of the insulating film covering the gateelectrodes prior to the step of making contact holes reaching the gateelectrodes, according to the means described above, the gate electrodescan be exposed by etching in a short time, so that the remaining regionscan be prevented from being over-etched to prevent the erosion of thefield dielectric film.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top plan view showing (about nine) memory cells of an SRAMof one embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 2( a) to 2(e) are enlarged top plan views showing a memory cell ofthe SRAM of the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a section of an essential portion of a semiconductorsubstrate, taken along line A–A′ of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2( a);

FIG. 4 is an equivalent circuit diagram of the memory cell of the SRAMof the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows a first manufacturing process of the memory cell ofthe SRAM of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a semiconductor substrate and shows thefirst manufacturing process of the memory cell of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows the first manufacturing process of the memory cellof the SRAM of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the semiconductor substrate and shows thefirst manufacturing process of the memory cell of the SRAM of thepresent invention;

FIG. 9 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows the first manufacturing process of the memory cellof the SRAM of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows the first manufacturing process of the memory cellof the SRAM of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the semiconductor substrate and shows thefirst manufacturing process of the memory cell of the SRAM of thepresent invention;

FIG. 12 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows the first manufacturing process of the memory cellof the SRAM of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a top plan view of the semiconductor substrate and shows thefirst manufacturing process of the memory cell of the SRAM of thepresent invention;

FIG. 14 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows the first manufacturing process of the memory cellof the SRAM of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a top plan view of the semiconductor substrate and shows thefirst manufacturing process of the memory cell of the SRAM of thepresent invention;

FIG. 16 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows the first manufacturing process of the memory cellof the SRAM of the present invention;

FIG. 17 is a top plan view of the semiconductor substrate and shows thefirst manufacturing process of the memory cell of the SRAM of thepresent invention;

FIG. 18 is a top plan view of the semiconductor substrate and shows thefirst manufacturing process of the memory cell of the SRAM of thepresent invention;

FIG. 19 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows the first manufacturing process of the memory cellof the SRAM of the present invention;

FIG. 20 is a top plan view of the semiconductor substrate and shows thefirst manufacturing process of the memory cell of the SRAM of thepresent invention;

FIG. 21 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows the first manufacturing process of the memory cellof the SRAM of the present invention;

FIG. 22 is a top plan view of the semiconductor substrate and shows thefirst manufacturing process of the memory cell of the SRAM of thepresent invention;

FIG. 23 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows a peripheral circuit of the SRAM of the presentinvention;

FIG. 24 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows a second manufacturing process of the memory cell ofthe SRAM of the present invention;

FIG. 25 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows the second manufacturing process of the memory cellof the SRAM of the present invention;

FIG. 26 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows the second manufacturing process of the memory cellof the SRAM of the present invention;

FIG. 27 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows the second manufacturing process of the memory cellof the SRAM of the present invention;

FIG. 28 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows the second manufacturing process of the memory cellof the SRAM of the present invention;

FIG. 29 is a top plan view of the semiconductor substrate and shows thesecond manufacturing process of the memory cell of the SRAM of thepresent invention;

FIG. 30 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows the second manufacturing process of the memory cellof the SRAM of the present invention;

FIG. 31 is a top plan view of the semiconductor substrate and shows thesecond manufacturing process of the memory cell of the SRAM of thepresent invention;

FIG. 32 is a top plan view of the semiconductor substrate and shows thesecond manufacturing process of the memory cell of the SRAM of thepresent invention;

FIG. 33 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows the second manufacturing process of the memory cellof the SRAM of the present invention;

FIG. 34 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows the second manufacturing process of the memory cellof the SRAM of the present invention;

FIG. 35 is a top plan view of the semiconductor substrate and shows thesecond manufacturing process of the memory cell of the SRAM of thepresent invention;

FIG. 36 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows the second manufacturing process of the memory cellof the SRAM of the present invention;

FIG. 37 is a top plan view of the semiconductor substrate and shows thesecond manufacturing process of the memory cell of the SRAM of thepresent invention;

FIG. 38( a) is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows the second manufacturing process of the memory cellof the SRAM of the present invention;

FIG. 38( b) is a section of an essential portion of a one-chipmicrocomputer in which the memory cells of the SRAM of the presentinvention and the memory cells of a DRAM are mixedly provided;

FIG. 38( c) shows an equivalent circuit diagram of the memory cell ofthe DRAM shown in FIG. 38( b);

FIG. 39 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows the peripheral circuit of the SRAM of the presentinvention;

FIG. 40 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows a third manufacturing process of the memory cell ofthe SRAM of the present invention;

FIG. 41 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows the third manufacturing process of the memory cellof the SRAM of the present invention;

FIG. 42 is a top plan view of the semiconductor substrate and shows thethird manufacturing process of the memory cell of the SRAM of thepresent invention;

FIG. 43 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows the third manufacturing process of the memory cellof the SRAM of the present invention;

FIG. 44 is a top plan view of the semiconductor substrate and shows thethird manufacturing process of the memory cell of the SRAM of thepresent invention;

FIG. 45 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows the third manufacturing process of the memory cellof the SRAM of the present invention;

FIG. 46 is a top plan view of the semiconductor substrate and shows thethird manufacturing process of the memory cell of the SRAM of thepresent invention;

FIG. 47 is a top plan view of the semiconductor substrate and shows thethird manufacturing process of the memory cell of the SRAM of thepresent invention;

FIG. 48 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows the third manufacturing process of the memory cellof the SRAM of the present invention;

FIG. 49 is a top plan view of the semiconductor substrate and shows thethird manufacturing process of the memory cell of the SRAM of thepresent invention;

FIG. 50 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows the third manufacturing process of the memory cellof the SRAM of the present invention;

FIG. 51 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows the third manufacturing process of the memory cellof the SRAM of the present invention;

FIG. 52 is a top plan view of the semiconductor substrate and shows thethird manufacturing process of the memory cell of the SRAM of thepresent invention;

FIG. 53 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows of the periphery circuit of the SRAM of the presentinvention;

FIG. 54 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows a fourth manufacturing process of the memory cell ofthe SRAM of the present invention;

FIG. 55 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows the fourth manufacturing process of the memory cellof the SRAM of the present invention;

FIG. 56 is a top plan view of the semiconductor substrate and shows thefourth manufacturing process of the memory cell of the SRAM of thepresent invention;

FIG. 57 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows the fourth manufacturing process of the memory cellof the SRAM of the present invention;

FIG. 58 is a top plan view of the semiconductor substrate and shows thefourth manufacturing process of the memory cell of the SRAM of thepresent invention;

FIG. 59 is a top plan view of the semiconductor substrate and shows thefourth manufacturing process of the memory cell of the SRAM of thepresent invention;

FIG. 60 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows the fourth manufacturing process of the memory cellof the SRAM of the present invention;

FIG. 61 is a top plan view of the semiconductor substrate and shows thefourth manufacturing process of the memory cell of the SRAM of thepresent invention;

FIG. 62 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows the fourth manufacturing process of the memory cellof the SRAM of the present invention;

FIG. 63 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows the fourth manufacturing process of the memory cellof the SRAM of the present invention;

FIG. 64 is a section of an essential portion of the semiconductorsubstrate and shows the fourth manufacturing process of the memory cellof the SRAM of the present invention; and

FIG. 65 is a flow chart of the process of the one-chip microcomputer inwhich the SRAM of the present invention and the DRAM are mixedlyprovided.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will be described in detail in the following inconnection with its embodiments with reference to the accompanyingdrawings. Incidentally, throughout the drawings for explaining theembodiments, what have identical functions will be designated byidentical reference symbols, and their repeated descriptions will beomitted.

Embodiment 1

FIG. 4 is an equivalent circuit diagram of a memory cell of an SRAM ofthe present embodiment. As shown, this memory cell is constructed of apair of driver MISFETs Qd₁ and Qd₂, a pair of load MISFETs Qp₁ and Qp₂and a pair of transfer MISFETs Qt₁ and Qt₂, which are arranged at theintersections of a pair of complementary data lines (i.e., a data lineDL and a data line/(bar) DL) and a word line WL. The driver MISFETs Qd₁and Qd₂ and the transfer MISFETs Qt₁ and Qt₂ are of n-channel type,whereas the load MISFETs Qp₁ and Qp₂ are of p-channel type. In otherwords, the memory cell is of complete CMOS type using the four n-channelMISFETs and the two p-channel MISFETs.

Of the six MISFETs constituting the aforementioned memory cell, thepaired driver MISFETs Qd₁ and Qd₂ and the paired load MISFETs Qp₁ andQp₂ constitute together a flip-flop circuit serving as an informationstorage unit for storing information of 1 bit. One (storage node A) ofthe input/output terminals of the flip-flop circuit is connected to thesource region of the transfer MISFET Qt₁, and the other input/outputterminal (storage node B) is connected to the source region of thetransfer MISFET Qt₁.

The drain region of the transfer MISFET Qt₁ is connected to the dataline DL whereas the drain region of the transfer MISFET Qt₂ is connectedto the data line/DL. On the other hand, one terminal (the source regionsof the load MISFETs Qp₁ and Qp₂) of the flip-flop circuit is connectedto a power supply voltage of a first voltage (Vcc), whereas the otherterminal (the source regions of the driver MISFETs Qd₁ and Qd₂) isconnected to a reference voltage of a second voltage (Vss). The powersupply voltage (Vcc) is 3 V, for example, whereas the reference voltage(Vss) is 0 V (GND), for example. The first voltage and the secondvoltage are in the relation, the first voltage>the second voltage.

The SRAM of the present embodiment is characterized in that the memorycell is provided with a capacitor element C having a stack structure, aswill be detailed in the following, one electrode of which is connectedto one storage node (storage node A) of the flip-flop circuit and theother electrode of which is connected to the other storage node (storagenode B).

Here will be described the specific construction of the memory cell withreference to FIG. 1 (a top plan view showing about nine memory cells),FIG. 2( a) (an enlarged top plan view showing about one memory cell),and FIGS. 2( b) to 2(e) and FIG. 3 (sections taken along line A–A′ ofFIG. 1 and FIG. 2( a)). Incidentally, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2( a) show onlythe conductive films constituting the memory cells and the contact holesmutually connecting the conductive films, but not the insulating filmsfor isolating the conductive films from each other. FIGS. 2( b) to 2(e)are enlarged top plan views of the conductive films of FIG. 2( a).

The six MISFETs constituting the memory cell are formed in the activeregion which is surrounded by a field insulating film 2 over theprincipal face of a semiconductor substrate 1 made of single crystalsilicon. The driver MISFETs Qd₁ and Qd₁ and the transfer MISFETs Qt₁ andQt₂ of n-channel type are formed in the active region of a p-type well3, and the load MISFETs Qp₁ and Qp₂ of p-channel type are formed in theactive region of an n-type well 4. A p-type buried layer 5 is formed inthe semiconductor substrate 1 below the p-type well, and an n-typeburied layer 6 is formed in the semiconductor substrate 1 below then-type well 4.

The paired transfer MISFETs Qt₁ and Qt₂ comprises: an n-typesemiconductor region 7 (source region and drain region) formed in theactive region of the p-type well 3; a gate insulating film 8 composed ofa silicon oxide film formed over the surface of that active region; anda gate electrode 9 composed of a first-level layer n-typepolycrystalline silicon film (a multilayer polycide film composed of apolycrystal-line silicon film and a refractory metal silicide film)formed over that gate insulating film. The gate electrodes of thetransfer MISFETs Qt₁ and Qt₂ are formed integrally with the word lineWL.

The paired driver MISFETs Qd₁ and Qd₂ comprises: an n-type semiconductorregion 10 (source region and drain region) formed in the active regionof the p-type well 3; the gate insulating film 8 formed over the surfaceof that active region; and gate electrodes 11 a and 11 b made of a firstlevel layer n-type polycrystalline silicon film (polycide film) formedover that gate insulating film 8. The drain region (the n-typesemiconductor region 10) of the driver MISFET Qd₁ is formed in theactive region similarly to the source region (the n-type semiconductorregion 7) of the transfer MISFET Qt₁, and the drain region (the n-typesemiconductor region 10) of the driver MISFET Qd₂ is formed in theactive region similarly to the source region (the n-type semiconductorregion 7) of the transfer MISFET Qt₂.

The paired load MISFETs Qp₁ and Qp₂ comprises: a p-type semiconductorregion 12 (source region and drain region) formed in the active regionof the n-type well 4; the gate insulating film formed over the surfaceof that active region; and the gate electrodes 11 a and 11 b made of thefirst level layer n-type polycrystalline silicon film (polycide film)formed over that gate insulating film 8. The gate electrode 11 a of theload MISFET Qp₁ is formed integrally with the gate electrode 11 a of thedriver MISFET Qd₁, and the gate electrode 11 b of the load MISFET Qp₂ isformed integrally with the gate electrode 11 b of the driver MISFET Qd₂(as shown in FIG. 2( b)). The driver MISFET Qd is provided in a firstdirection between the transfer MISFET Qt and the load MISFET Qp.

Over the memory cell thus composed of the six MISFETs, there is formedthrough insulating films 14 and 15 of a silicon oxide film a lowerelectrode 16 of a capacitor element C. This lower electrode 16 iscomposed of a second-level layer n-type polycrystal-line silicon filmcovering the memory cell widely. The lower electrode 16 is connectedthrough a contact hole 17 to the drain region (the n-type semiconductorregion 10 and the storage node A) of the driver MISFET Qd₁ (as shown inFIG. 2(C)).

Over the lower electrode 16, there is formed through a capacitorinsulating film 18 of a silicon oxide film an upper electrode 19 of thecapacitor element C. This upper electrode 19 is composed of athird-level layer n-type polycrystalline silicon film covering thememory cell widely. The upper electrode 19 is connected through acontact hole 20 to the gate electrode 11 a common to the driver MISFETQd₁ and the load MISFET Qp₁ and to the drain region (the n-typesemiconductor region 10 and the storage node B) of the driver MISFET Qd₂(as shown in FIG. 2( d)). Incidentally, the capacitor insulating film 18should not be limited to the silicon nitride film but may be composed ofa multilayer film of a silicon nitride film and a silicon oxide film.

Thus, in the SRAM of the present embodiment, the capacitor element Chaving a stack structure is constructed of the lower electrode 16 andthe upper electrode 19 covering the memory cell widely and the capacitorelement insulating film 18 sandwiched between those electrodes, and oneelectrode (the lower electrode 16) of the capacitor element C isconnected to one storage node A of the flip-flop circuit whereas theother electrode (the upper electrode 19) is connected to the otherstorage node B. Specifically, the lower electrode 16 and the upperelectrode 19 are so formed as to cover the memory cell widely and as toextend over the word line 9 (WL) to the region between the driverMISFETs Qd₁ and Qd₂ and the load MISFETs Qp₁ and Qp₂. As a result, thecapacitance of the capacitor element C can be increased.

Thanks to this construction, the storage nodes A and B can be fed withsufficient charge through the capacitor element C so that the potentialfluctuations of the storage nodes A and B due to alpha rays can besuppressed to improve the soft error resistance of the memory cell evenif the memory cell is miniaturized or even if the operating voltage isdropped.

Over the capacitor element C, there are formed through a first-levellayer interlayer insulating film 21 of a BPSG (Boro Phospho SilicateGlass) film a pair of local wiring lines L₁ and L₂, a power voltage line22A, a reference voltage line 22B and a pair of pad layers 22C, whichare composed of a first-level layer aluminum (Al) alloy film (as shownin FIG. 2( e)).

One end portion of one (L₂) of the paired local wiring lines L₁ and L₂is connected through a contact hole 23 to the upper electrode 19 of thecapacitor element C and further through the contact hole 20 to the drainregion (the n-type semiconductor region 10) of the driver MISFET Qd₂ andthe gate electrode 11 a common to the driver MISFET Qd₁ and the loadMISFET Qp₁. The other end portion of the local wiring line L₂ isconnected through a contact hole 24 to the drain region (the p-typesemiconductor region 12) of the load MISFET Qp₂. In other words, thedrain region (the n-type semiconductor region 10 and the storage node B)of the driver MISFET Qd₂, the drain region (the p-type semiconductorregion 12) of the load MISFET Qp₂ and the gate electrode 11 a common tothe driver MISFET Qd₁ and the load MISFET Qp₁ are connected to eachother through the local wiring line L₂ and the upper electrode 19.

On the other hand, one end portion of the other local wiring line L₁ isconnected through a contact hole 25 to the drain region (the p-typesemiconductor region 12) of the load MISFET Qp₁ and the gate electrode11 b common to the driver MISFET Qd₂ and the load MISFET Qp₂. The otherend portion of the local wiring line L₁ is connected through a contacthole 26 to the lower electrode 16 of the capacitor element C and furtherthrough the contact hole 17 to the drain region (the n-typesemiconductor region 10) of the driver MISFET Qd₁. In other words, thedrain region (the n-type semiconductor region 10 and the storage node A)of the driver MISFET Qd₁, the drain region (the p-type semiconductorregion 12) of the load MISFET Qp₁ and the gate electrode 11 b common tothe driver MISFET Qd₂ and the load MISFET Qp₂ are connected to eachother through the local wiring line L₁ and the lower electrode 16. Inshort, the local wiring lines L₁ and L₂ extend in the first direction toelectrically connect the drain region of the driver MISFET Qd and thedrain region of the load MISFET Qp.

Of the power voltage line 22A, the reference voltage line 22B and thepaired pad layers 22C belonging to the same layer as that of the localwiring lines L₁ and L₂, the power voltage line 22A is connected througha contact hole 27 to the source regions (the p-type semiconductor region12) of the load MISFETs Qp₁ and Qp₂ to supply these source regions (thep-type semiconductor region 12) to the power voltage (Vcc). Thereference voltage line 22B is connected through a contact hole 28 to thesource regions (the n-type semiconductor region 10) of the driverMISFETs Qd₁ and Qd₂ to supply these source regions (the n-typesemiconductor region 10) with the reference voltage (Vss). Moreover, oneof the paired pad layers 22C is connected through a contact hole 29 tothe drain region (the n-type semiconductor region 7) of the transferMISFET Qt₁, whereas the other is connected through the contact hole 29to the drain region (the n-type semiconductor region 7) of the transferMISFET Qt₂. The power voltage line 22A and the reference voltage line22B extend in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction tosupply the power supply voltage (Vcc) and the reference voltage (Vss) tothe memory cells arranged in the second direction.

Over the local wiring lines L₁ and L₂, the power voltage line 22A, thereference voltage line 22B and the pad layers 22C, there are formedthrough the second-level layer interlayer insulating film 31 of asilicon oxide film a pair of complementary data lines (the data line DLand the data line /DL) made of the second-level Al alloy film. The dataline DL is connected through a contact hole 32 to the pad layers 22C andfurther through the contact hole 29 to the drain region (the n-typesemiconductor region 7) of the transfer MISFET Qt₁. On the other hand,the data line /DL is connected through the contact hole 32 to the padlayers 22C and further through the contact hole 29 to the drain region(the n-type semiconductor region 7) of the transfer MISFET Qt₂ (as shownin FIG. 2( a)).

Here will be described a process for manufacturing the memory cells ofthe SRAM of the present embodiment thus constructed. Of the individualFigures (i.e., FIGS. 5 to 22) showing the memory cell manufacturingprocess, sections are taken along lines A–A′ of FIGS. 1 and 2. In thetop plan views, only the conductive films and the contact holes areshown but the insulating films are not shown.

<Step of Forming Element Isolation-Well>

First of all, the element isolating field insulating film 2 having athickness of about 400 nm is formed over the principal face of thesemiconductor substrate 1 made of p⁻-type single crystal silicon, asshown in FIG. 5, by a well-known LOCOS method using a silicon nitridefilm as the thermal oxidation mask. Next, the p-type buried layer 5 andthe n-type buried layer 6 are formed in the semiconductor substrate 1 byan ion implantation method using a photoresist as the mask. After this,the p-type well 3 is formed over the p-type buried layer 5, and then-type well 4 is formed over the n-type buried layer 6. Next, thesurfaces of the active regions of the p-type well 3 and the n-type well4 are thermally oxidized to form the gate insulating film 8. FIG. 6shows a top plan pattern (for about nine memory cells) of the activeregions (AR) of the p-type well 3 and the n-type well 4. Incidentally,in FIG. 6, the p-type well 3 and the n-type well 4 are indicated bybroken lines and single-dotted lines for easy understanding of theirlocations.

<Step of Forming First-Level Layer Gate>

Next, as shown in FIG. 7, there are formed: the gate electrode 9 (theword line WL) of the transfer MISFETs Qt₁ and Qt₂; the gate electrode 11a which is common to the load MISFET Qp₁ and the driver MISFET Qd₁; andthe gate electrode 11 b which is common to the load MISFET Qp₂ and thedriver MISFET Qd₂. The gate electrode 9 (or the word line WL) and thegate electrodes 11 a and 11 b are formed by depositing an n-typepolycrystalline silicon film (polycide film) having a thickness of about100 nm over the semiconductor substrate 1 by a CVD (Chemical VaporDeposition) method, by depositing the silicon oxide film 14 having athickness of about 120 nm thereover by a CVD method, and by patterningthe silicon oxide film 14 and the n-type polycrystalline silicon film(polycide film) by a etching method using a photoresist as the mask.FIG. 8 shows a top plan pattern (for about nine memory cells) of thegate electrode 9 (the word line WL) and the gate electrodes 11 a and 11b.

<Step of Forming Diffused Layer>

Next, as shown in FIG. 9, side wall spacers 13 are formed on the sidewalls of the gate electrode 9 (the word line WL) and the gate electrodes11 a and 11 b by patterning, by RIE (Reactive Ion Etching), the siliconoxide film deposited over the semiconductor substrate 1 by a CVD method.Next, by an ion implantation method using a photoresist as the mask, thep-type well 3 is doped with phosphor (P) or arsenic (As) to form then-type semiconductor region 7 (the source and drain regions of thetransfer MISFETs Qt₁ and Qt₂) and the n-type semiconductor region 10(the source and drain regions of the driver MISFETs Qd₁ and Qd₂), andthe n-type well 4 is doped with boron (B) to form the p-typesemiconductor region 12 (the source and drain regions of the loadMISFETs Qp₁ and Qp₂). Incidentally, the source regions and the drainregions of those MISFETs may have an LDD (Lightly Doped Drain) structurewhich is composed of a heavily doped semiconductor region and a lightlydoped semiconductor region.

<Step of Forming Contact Holes for Second-Level Layer Gate>

Next, as shown in FIG. 10, the silicon oxide film 15 having a thicknessof about 50 nm is deposited over the semiconductor substrate 1 by a CVDmethod, and this silicon oxide film 15 and the underlying insulatingfilm (the insulating film formed in the same layer as that of the gateinsulating film 9) are etched by using a photoresist as the mask to formthe contact holes 17 reaching the drain region (the n-type semiconductorregion 10) of the driver MISFET Qd₁, as shown in FIG. 11.

<Step of Forming Second-Level Layer Gate>

Next, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, an n-type polycrystalline siliconfilm having a thickness of about 50 nm is deposited on the semiconductorsubstrate 1 and is patterned by an etching method using a photoresist asthe mask to form the lower electrode 16 of the capacitor element C. Thislower electrode 16 is connected through the contact hole 17 to the drainregion (the n-type semiconductor region 10 and the storage node A) ofthe driver MISFET Qd₁.

<Step of Forming Capacitor Insulating Film and Step of Forming ContactHoles for Third-Level Layer Gate>

Next, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the capacitor element insulating film18 of a silicon nitride film having a thickness of about 15 nm isdeposited over the semiconductor substrate 1 by a CVD method and isetched together with the underlying silicon oxide films 15 and 14 andinsulating film (in the same layer as that of the gate insulating film9) by using a photoresist as the mask to form the contact hole 20reaching the gate electrode 11 a common to the load MISFET Qp₁ and thedriver MISFET Qd₁ and the drain region (the n-type semiconductor region10) of the driver MISFET Qd₂.

<Step of Forming Third-Level Layer Gate>

Next, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the n-type polycrystalline siliconfilm having a thickness of about 50 nm is deposited on the semiconductorsubstrate 1 and is patterned by an etching method using a photoresist asthe mask to form the upper electrode 19 of the capacitor element C. Thisupper electrode 19 is connected through the contact hole 20 to the gateelectrode 11 a common to the load MISFET Qp₁ and the driver MISFET Qd₁and the drain region (the n-type semiconductor region 10 and the storagenode B) of the driver MISFET Qd₂. The region indicated by the graypatterns of FIG. 18 are the ones (where the capacitor element C of theembodiment is to be formed) where the lower electrodes 16 and the upperelectrodes 19 overlap with each other.

<Step of Forming Contact Holes for First-Level Layer Wiring Line>

Next, as shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, the interlayer insulating film 21 ofa BPSG film having a thickness of about 500 nm is deposited on thesemiconductor substrate 1 by a CVD method, and the surface of theinsulating film 21 is flattened by reflow. After this, the interlayerinsulating film 21 and the underlying capacitor element insulating film18, silicon oxide films 15 and 14 and insulating film (in the same layeras that of the gate insulating film 9) are etched by using a photoresistas the mask to make the contact hole 24 reaching the drain region (orthe p-type semiconductor region 12) of the load MISFET Qp₂, the contacthole 24 reaching the gate electrode 11 b common to the load MISFET Qp₂and the driver MISFET Qd₂ and the drain region (the p-type semiconductorregion 12) of the load MISFET Qp₁, the contact hole 26 reaching thelower electrode 16 of the capacitor element C, the contact hole 27reaching the source regions (the p-type semiconductor region 12) of theload MISFETs Qp₁ and Qp₂, the contact hole 28 reaching the source region(the n-type semiconductor region 10) of the driver MISFETs Qd₁ and Qd₂,and the contact hole reaching the source regions (the n-typesemiconductor region 7) of the transfer MISFETs Qt₁ and Qt₂.

<Step of Forming First-Level Layer Wiring Line>

Next, as shown in FIGS. 21 and 22, an Al alloy film having a thicknessof about 300 nm is deposited on the interlayer insulating film 21 bysputtering and is patterned by etching using a photoresist as the maskto form the local wiring lines L₁ and L₂, the power voltage line 22A,the reference voltage line 22B and the pad layers 22C.

Next, the interlayer insulating film 31 of a silicon oxide film having athickness of about 500 nm is deposited by a CVD method, and the contactholes 32 are made in the interlayer insulating film 31 by etching usinga photoresist as the mask. After this, an Al alloy film is deposited onthe interlayer insulating film 31 by sputtering and is patterned byetching using a photoresist as the mask to form the data lines DL and/DL to complete the memory cells, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3.

FIG. 23 is a section showing a portion of a peripheral circuit of theSRAM of the present embodiment. This peripheral circuit is, e.g., aninput/output protective circuit which is equipped with a capacitorelement C having substantially the same structure as the capacitorelement C of the aforementioned memory cell. The lower electrode of thecapacitor element C is composed of a second-level layer n-typepolycrystalline silicon film at the same step as that of forming thelower electrode 16 of the capacitor element C of the memory cell. Thecapacitor insulating film 18 is composed of a silicon nitride film atthe same step as that of forming the capacitor insulating film 18 of thecapacitor element C of the memory cell. The upper electrode 19 iscomposed of the third-level layer n-type polycrystalline silicon film atthe same step as that of forming the upper electrode 19 of the capacitorelement C of the memory cell.

The upper electrode 19 of this capacitor element C is connected to ann-type semiconductor region 33 of an n-channel MISFET Qn constituting apart of the input/output protective circuit, and further to an overlyingwiring line 22D through a contact hole 35 formed in the interlayerinsulating film 21. The wiring line 22D is composed of an Al alloy filmwhich is formed in the same layer as that of the local wiring lines L₁and L₂, the power voltage line 22A, the reference voltage line 22B andpad layer 22C of the memory cell. The lower electrode 16 of thecapacitor element C is connected to the wiring line 22D through acontact hole 36 made in the interlayer insulating film 21, and to ap-type semiconductor region 34 formed in the principal face of then-type well 4 through the wiring line 22D. The lower electrode 16 iscomposed of an n-type polycrystalline silicon film, so that it isconnected indirectly to the p-type semiconductor region 34 through thewiring line 22D.

Thus, in the present embodiment, the capacitor element C of theperipheral circuit is composed of the two-layered polycrystallinesilicon film which is deposited on the semiconductor substrate 1. As aresult, the area occupied by the elements can be made smaller than thatof the capacitor element which is composed of the diffused region (pnjunction) formed in the semiconductor substrate, so that the area forthe peripheral circuit can be reduced to raise the degree of integrationof the SRAM. Moreover, this capacitor element C has a feature that itscapacitance can be arbitrarily controlled compared to capacitor elementsusing diffused layer (pn junction).

Another n-type semiconductor region 33 of the n-channel type MISFET Qnis connected to the wiring line 22D through a pad layer 38 which iscomposed of the same third-level layer n-type polycrystalline siliconfilm as that of the upper electrode 19 of the capacitor element C. Thepad layer 38 is formed in the same step as that of the upper electrode19 of the capacitor element C. Since the n-type semiconductor region 33and the wiring line 22D are connected through the pad layer 38, the maskalignment margin at the time of making a contact hole 37 over the n-typesemiconductor region 33 by etching using a photoresist as the mask canbe reduced to reduce the area of the n-channel type MISFET Qn andthereby to raise the degree of integration of the SRAM. Incidentally,the pad layer 37 may be composed of the second-level layer n-typepolycrystalline silicon film which is formed in the same layer as thatof the lower electrode 16 of the capacitor element C.

Embodiment 2

A process for manufacturing the memory cells of the SRAM of the presentembodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 24 to 38.Incidentally, of the individual Figures showing the memory cellmanufacturing process, the top plan views show only the conductive filmsand the contact holes but not the insulating films.

<Step of Forming Element Isolation-Well and Step of Forming First-LevelLayer Gate>

First of all, as shown in FIG. 24, there are formed on the principalfaces of the active regions of the p-type well 3 and the n-type well 4:the gate electrode 9 (the word line WL) of the transfer MISFETs Qt₁ antQt₂; the gate electrode 11 a common to the load MISFET Qp₁ and thedriver MISFET Qd₁; and the gate electrode 11 b common to the load MISFETQp₂ and the driver MISFET Qd₂. The steps up to this are identical tothose of the foregoing Embodiment 1.

Next, in the present embodiment, the silicon oxide film 14 over the gateelectrodes 11 a and 11 b is partially etched and thinned by using aphotoresist as the mask. The portions thus tinned are the regions wherecontact holes 43 and 44 for connecting the local wiring lines L₁ and L₂and the gate electrodes 11 a and 11 b are to be made in a later step.

There are two methods for reducing the thickness of the silicon oxidefilm 14 partially. By one (first) method, the silicon oxide film 14 andthe polycrystalline silicon film are patterned to form the gateelectrode 9 (or the word line WL) and the gate electrodes 11 a and 11 bby using a first photoresist as the mask; and thereafter the siliconoxide film 14 is partially etched by using a second photoresist as themask. By the other (second) method, the silicon oxide film 14 isdeposited on the first-level layer polycrystalline silicon film and isthen partially edged by using a first photoresist as the mask; next, thesilicon oxide film 14 and the polycrystalline silicon film are patternedto form the gate electrode 9 (the word line WL) and the gate electrodes11 a and 11 b by using a second photoresist as the mask.

By the first method, when the silicon oxide film 14 is partially etched,after the gate electrodes have been formed, by using the secondphotoresist as the mask, this mask may be misaligned and thereby thefield insulating film 2 at the end portions of the gate electrodes maybe eroded if the portions to be thinned come to the field insulatingfilm 2 at the gate electrode end portions. By the second method, on theother hand, this trouble is avoided because the lower polycrystallinesilicon film acts as the etching stopper even if the mask for etchingthe silicon oxide film 14 partially is misaligned.

When the first method is adopted, a material such as silicon nitridehaving an etching rate different from that of the field insulating film2 is deposited on the first-level layer polycrystalline silicon film andis patterned together with the polycrystalline silicon film to form thegate electrodes by using the first photoresist as the mask. After this,the silicon nitride film is partially etched by using the secondphotoresist as the mask so that the field insulating film 2 can beprevented from being eroded. Alternatively, the erosion of the fieldinsulating film 2 of the gate electrode end portions can also beprevented by partially etching the insulating film over the gateelectrode, after the side wall spacer (13) has been formed on the sidewall of the gate electrodes.

<Step of Forming Diffused Layer>

Next, as shown in FIG. 26, the side wall spacers 13 are formed on theside walls of the gate electrode 9 (the word line WL) and the gateelectrodes 11 a and 11 b. After this, by ion implantation using aphotoresist as the mask, the n-type semiconductor region 7 (the sourceand drain regions of the MISFETs Qt₁ and Qt₂) and the n-typesemiconductor region 10 (the source and drain regions of the driverMISFETs Qd₁ and Qd₂) are formed in the p-type well 3, and the p-typesemiconductor region 12 (the source and drain regions of the loadMISFETs Qp₁ and Qp₂) is formed in the n-type well 4.

<Step of Forming Second Level Layer of Gate Electrode>

Next, as shown in FIG. 27, the silicon nitride film 40 is deposited onthe semiconductor substrate 1 by a CVD method. After this, the n-typepolycrystal-line silicon film, deposited by the CVD method, is patternedto form the lower electrode 41 of the capacitor element C, as shown inFIGS. 28 and 29. In the foregoing Embodiment 1, prior to the step offorming the lower electrode 41, there is made the contact hole (17)which reaches the drain region (the n-type semiconductor region 10) ofthe driver MISFET Qd₁. In the present embodiment, however, this step(the step of forming the contract holes for the second-level layer gate)is omitted.

<Step of Forming Capacitor Insulating Film and Step of FormingThird-Level Layer Gate>

Next, as shown in FIGS. 30 and 31, the capacitor insulating film 18 of asilicon nitride film is deposited by a CVD method, and an n-typepolycrystalline silicon film, deposited by the CVD method, issubsequently patterned to form the upper electrode 42 of the capacitorelement C. Specifically, in the foregoing Embodiment 1, immediatelyafter the deposition of the capacitor insulating film 18, there are madethe contact holes (20) which reach the gate electrode 11 a common to theload MISFET Qp₁ and the driver MISFET Qd₁ and the drain region (then-type semiconductor region 10) of the driver MISFET Qd₂. In the presentembodiment, on the other hand, this step (the step of forming thecontact holes for the third-level layer gate) is omitted, and thedeposition of the polycrystalline silicon film for the upper electrode42 is executed continuously after the deposition of the capacitorelement insulating film 18. The regions indicated by the gray patternsof FIG. 32 are the ones (where the capacitor element C of the embodimentis to be formed) where the lower electrodes 41 and the upper electrodes42 overlap with each other.

<Step of Forming Contact Holes for First-Level Layer Wiring Line>

Next, as shown in FIGS. 33 to 35, the interlayer insulating film 21 of aBPSG film is deposited by a CVD method, and its surface is flattened byreflow. After this, the interlayer insulating film 21 is etched by usinga photoresist by the mask. At this time, only the interlayer insulatingfilm 21 is etched (FIG. 33) by using either the capacitor insulatingfilm 18 (silicon nitride film) below the interlayer insulating film 21or the upper electrode 42 (polycrystalline silicon film) as the etchingstopper.

Next, either the capacitor element insulating film 18 below theinterlayer insulating film 21 or the upper electrode 42, the underlyinglower electrode 41, the silicon nitride film 40, the silicon oxide film14 and the insulating film (in the same layer as that of the gateinsulating film 9) are etched to make: the contact hole 27 reaching thesource region (the p-type semiconductor region 12) of the load MISFETsQp₁ and Qp₂; the contact hole 28 reaching the source region (the n-typesemiconductor region 10) of the driver MISFETs Qd₁ and Qd₂; the contacthole 29 reaching the source region (the n-type semiconductor region 7)of the transfer MISFETs Qt₁ and Qt₂; the contact hole 43 reaching thegate electrode 11 a common to the load MISFET Qp₁ and the driver MISFETQd₁ and the drain region (the n-type semiconductor region 10) of thedriver MISFET Qd₂; the contact hole 44 reaching the gate electrode 11 bcommon to the load MISFET Qp₂ and the driver MISFET Qd₂ and the drainregion (or the p-type semiconductor region 12) of the load MISFET Qp₁; acontact hole 45 reaching the drain region (the n-type semiconductorregion 10) of the driver MISFET Qd₁; and a contact hole 46 reaching thedrain region (the p-type semiconductor region 12) of the load MISFETQp₂.

The contact hole 43 extends through a portion of the upper electrode 42and reaches the gate electrode 11 a and the drain region (the n-typesemiconductor region 10), so that the upper electrode 42 is partiallyexposed from the side wall of the contact hole 43, as shown in FIG. 34.As shown at portion (A) in FIG. 34, on the other hand, the contact hole45 extends through a portion of the lower electrode 41 and reaches thedrain region (the n-type semiconductor region 10), so that the lowerelectrode 41 is partially exposed from the side wall of the contact hole45. The portion (A) of FIG. 34 shows a section of the portion of thecontact hole 45.

By the etching treatment after the step shown in FIG. 33, the gateelectrode 11 a is partially exposed from the bottom of the contact hole43, and the gate electrode 11 b is partially exposed from the bottom ofthe contact hole 44. The silicon oxide film 14 over the gate electrodes11 a and 1 b of this region are thinned in advance, as describedhereinbefore, the gate electrodes 11 a and 11 b can be exposed by theetching treatment performed for a short time. If the silicon oxide film14 at the bottoms of the contact holes 43 and 44 are not thinned, thesilicon oxide film has to be etched for a long time. As a result, whenthe resist mask is misaligned and hence the contact holes 43 and 44overlap with the field insulating film 2, this field insulating film 2may be over-etched and eroded at the end portions of the gate electrodes11 a and 11 b.

<Step of Forming First-Level Layer Wiring Line>

Next, as shown in FIGS. 36 and 37, the Al alloy film, deposited on theinterlayer insulating film 21 by sputtering, is patterned to form thelocal wiring lines L₁ and L₂, the power voltage line 22A, the referencevoltage line 22B and the pad layers 22C.

As a result, one end portion of one local wiring line L₂ is connected atthe side wall of the contact hole 43 to the upper electrode 42 of thecapacitor element C, and further at the bottom of the contact hole 43 tothe drain region (the n-type semiconductor region 10) of the driverMISFET Qd₂ and the gate electrode 11 a common to the driver MISFET Qd₁and the load MISFET Qp₁. The other end portion of the local wiring lineL₂ is connected through the contact hole 46 to the drain region (thep-type semiconductor region 12) of the load MISFET Qp₂. In short, thedrain region (the n-type semiconductor region 10 and the storage node B)of the driver MISFET Qd₂, the drain region (the p-type semiconductorregion 12) of the load MISFET Qp₂, and the gate electrode 11 a common tothe driver MISFET Qd₁ and the load MISFET Qp₁ are connected to eachother through the local wiring line L₂ and the upper electrode 42.

One end portion of the other local wiring line L₁ is connected at theside wall of the contact hole 45 to the lower electrode 41 of thecapacitor element C, and further at the bottom of the contact hole 45 tothe drain region (the n-type semiconductor region 10) of the driverMISFET Qd₁. The other end portion of the local wiring line L₁ isconnected through the contact hole 44 to the drain region (the p-typesemiconductor region 12) of the load MISFET Qp₁ and the gate electrode11 b common to the driver MISFET Qd₂ and the load MISFET Qp₂. In short,the drain region (the n-type semiconductor region 10 and the storagenode A) of the driver MISFET Qd₁, the drain region (the p-typesemiconductor region 12) of the load MISFET Qp₁ and the gate electrode11 b common to the driver MISFET Qd₂ and the load MISFET Qp₂ areconnected to each other through the local wiring line L₁ and the lowerelectrode 41. Incidentally, the portion (A) of FIG. 36 is a section ofthe portion of the contact hole 45.

The power voltage line 22A is connected through the contact hole 27 tothe source regions (the p-type semiconductor region 12) of the loadMISFETs Qp₁ and Qp₂, and the reference voltage line 22B is connectedthrough the contact hole 28 to the source regions (the n-typesemiconductor region 10) of the driver MISFETs. Qd₁ and Qd₂. Moreover,one of the paired pad layers 2C is connected through the contact hole 29to the drain region (the n-type semiconductor region 7) of the transferMISFET Qt₁, and the other is connected through the contact hole 29 tothe drain region (the n-type semiconductor region 7) of the transferMISFET Qt₂.

After this, the contact hole 32 is made in the interlayer insulatingfilm 31 which is composed of the silicon oxide film deposited by a CVDmethod, as shown in FIG. 38( a). After this, the Al alloy film,deposited on the interlayer insulating film 31 by sputtering, ispatterned to form the data lines DL and /DL and to connect the datalines DL and /DL and the pad layers 22C through the contact hole 32.

Thus, in the manufacture method of the present embodiment, there areomitted from Embodiment 1: the step (the step of making the contactholes for second-level layer gate) of making the contact holes reachingthe drain region (the n-type semiconductor region 10) of the driverMISFET Qd₁ prior to the step of forming the lower electrode 41 of thecapacitor element C; and the step (the step of making the contact holesfor the second-level layer gate) of making the contact holes reachingthe gate electrode 11 a common to the load MISFET Qp₁ and the driverMISFET Qd₁ and the drain region (the n-type semiconductor region 10) ofthe driver MISFET Qd₂ prior to the step of forming the upper electrode42 after the deposition of the capacitor insulating film 18. As aresult, the two etching steps using the photoresists as the masks can beeliminated to shorten the memory cell manufacturing process accordingly.

Incidentally, it is also possible to omit either of the aforementionedtwo contact hole making steps. If the contact hole 17 is made in thestep (the step of making the contact holes for the second-level layergate) of forming the lower electrode 41 of the capacitor element C, asshown in FIGS. 65 and 38( b), and if no contact hole is made at the step(the step of making the contact holes for the third-level layer gate) ofmaking the upper electrode 42, it is possible to make common the processfor forming an information storing capacitor element Cd having a stackstructure over a memory cell selecting MISFET Qs of a DRAM (DynamicRandom Access Memory) and the process for forming the capacitor elementC of the present invention. As a result, it is possible to shorten theprocess for manufacturing a one-chip microcomputer in which the DRAM andthe SRAM are mixedly provided in one semiconductor chip.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 38( b), the information storing capacitorelement Cd of the DRAM is formed in the same step (the step of formingthe lower electrode 41, the capacitor insulating film 18 and the upperelectrode 42) as that of forming the capacitor element C of the SRAM, sothat the capacitor element Cd of the DRAM can be formed simultaneouslywith the process for forming the capacitor element C of the SRAM.Incidentally, one electrode 41 of the information storing capacitorelement Cd of the DRAM is electrically connected to one of thesource/drain regions 7 (10) of the memory cell selecting MISFET Qs ofthe DRAM through the contact hole 17 which is made in the step of makingthe contact holes for the second-level layer gate. The other electrode42 of the information storing capacitor element Cd of the DRAM is formedintegrally with the plate electrode 42. This plate electrode 42 isformed to cover the memory cells of the DRAM and is fed with a platevoltage Vp. This plate voltage Vp is set at Vcc/2, for example. Theother of the source/drain regions 7 (10) of the memory cell selectingMISFET Qs of the DRAM is electrically connected to the data line DLthrough the pad layers 22C.

Moreover, the DRAM can be formed simultaneously with the process forforming the SRAM by forming the memory cell selecting MISFET Qs of theDRAM in the same step as that of forming the driver MISFET Qd.

Moreover, the plate electrode 42 is electrically connected through theside wall of a contact hole 29′ to a wiring line 22′ composed of afirst-level layer Al alloy film, and the wiring line 22′ is electricallyconnected through the side wall of a contact hole 32′ to a wiring line100 formed of a second-level layer Al alloy film.

Incidentally, FIG. 38( b) shows the DRAM which is formed over the samesubstrate 1 in which is formed the SRAM shown in FIG. 38( a). In FIG.38( b), reference symbol MC designates the region where a memory cell ofthe DRAM is formed, and symbol PG designates the region where a powerfeeder for feeding electric power to the plate electrode 42 is formed.FIG. 38( c) shows an equivalent circuit diagram of the memory cell ofthe DRAM. As shown in FIG. 38( c), the memory cell of the DRAM iscomposed of the memory cell selecting MISFET Qs and the informationstoring capacitor element Cd.

With reference to FIG. 38( b), here will be briefly described theprocess for manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit devicewhich comprises: an SRAM including memory cells each having a flip-flopcircuit composed of paired driver MISFETs Qd and paired load MISFETs Qpand paired transfer MISFETs Qt; and a DRAM including memory cells eachcomposed of memory cell selecting MISFETs Qs and information storingcapacitor elements Cd formed over the MISFETs Qs.

First of all, the gate electrodes 9 (WL) of the driver MISFETs Qd, theload MISFETs Qp, the transfer MISFETs Qt and the memory cell selectingMISFETs Qs are formed of the first conductive film 9 which is formedover the principal face of the semiconductor substrate 1.

Next, the capacitor element C is formed of the second conductive film 41deposited on the first conductive film 9, the insulating film 18 ofdielectric formed over the second conductive film 41 and the thirdconductive film 42 formed over the insulating film 18 over the memorycells of the SRAM, and the information storing capacitor element Cd isformed over the memory cell selecting MISFETs Qs of the DRAM.

Next, the first metal film formed over the third conductive film 42 ispatterned to form the paired metal wiring lines L₁ and L₂, and oneelectrode 41 of the capacitor element of the SRAM is electricallyconnected to one of the storage nodes of the memory cells of the SRAMthrough one of the paired metal wiring lines, and the other electrode 42of the capacitor element is electrically connected to the other storagenode of the memory cell through the other of the paired metal wiringlines.

In the manufacturing process of the present embodiment, the depositionof the capacitor insulating film 18 and the deposition of thethird-level layer polycrystalline silicon film are continuouslyperformed. As a result, the surface of the capacitor insulating film 18can be less contaminated, and consequently the capacitor element C ofhigh quality can be formed.

In the manufacturing process of the present embodiment, moreover, priorto the step of etching the insulating film to make the contact hole 43reaching the gate electrode 11 a and the contact hole 44 reaching thegate electrode 11 b, the insulating film (the silicon oxide film 14)over the gate electrodes 11 a and 11 b is thinned. This makes itpossible to suppress the erosion of the field insulating film 2 due tomisalignment of the resist mask used for making the contact holes 43 and44, thereby improving the manufacturing yield and the reliability of theSRAM. As a result, the margin of misalignment of the contact holes 43and 44, the gate electrodes 11 a and 11 b and the drain regions (then-type semiconductor region 10) becomes unnecessary, and hence the areaof the memory cells can be decreased and the packaging density can beincreased. In the MISFETs constituting the peripheral circuit of theSRAM, still moreover, when the gate electrode 11 is composed of thefirst level layer of n-type polycrystalline silicon film (the polycidefilm) and connected to the first-level layer of the wiring line 22 of analuminum (Al) alloy film, the insulating film 14 over the gate electrodeis made so thin that similar effects can be attained, too, in theMISFETs constituting the peripheral circuit.

In the peripheral circuit such as the input/output protective circuit ofthe SRAM of the present embodiment, for example, as shown in FIG. 39,there is formed a capacitor element C which has substantially the samestructure as that of the capacitor element C of the aforementionedmemory cells. The lower electrode 41 of this capacitor element C iscomposed of the second-level layer n-type polycrystalline silicon filmin the same step as that of the lower electrode 41 of the capacitorelement C of the memory cells. The capacitor insulating film 18 iscomposed of the silicon nitride film in the same step as that of thecapacitor insulating film of the capacitor element C of the memorycells. The upper electrode 42 is composed of the third-level layern-type polycrystalline silicon film in the same step as that of theupper electrode 42 of the capacitor element C of the memory cells.

The lower electrode 41 of this capacitor element C is connected to thewiring line 22D at the side wall of the contact hole 36 made in theinterlayer insulating film 21, and further to the p-type semiconductorregion 34 of the n-type well 4 through the wiring line 22D. The upperelectrode 42 is connected to the wiring line 22D at the side wall of thecontact hole 35 made in the interlayer insulating film 21, and furtherto the n-type semiconductor region 33 of the n-channel type MISFET Qnthrough the wiring line 22D. The other n-type semiconductor region 33 ofthe n-channel MISFET Qn is connected to the wiring line 22D through thepad layer 38 composed of the same third-level layer n-typepolycrystalline silicon film as that of the upper electrode 42 of thecapacitor element C. The pad layer 38 may be composed of the samesecond-level layer n-type polycrystalline silicon film as that of thelower electrode 41 of the capacitor element C.

Embodiment 3

The process for manufacturing the memory cells of the SRAM of thepresent embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 40 to 52.Incidentally, of the individual Figures showing the memory cellmanufacturing process, the top plan views show only the conductive filmsand the contact holes but not the insulating films.

First of all, as shown in FIG. 40, the first-level layer n-typepolycrystalline silicon film is patterned to form the gate electrodes 9(the word line WL) of the transfer MISFETs Qt₁ and Qt₂, the gateelectrode 11 a common to the load MISFET Qp₁ and the driver MISFET Qd₁,and the gate electrode 11 b common to the load MISFET Qp₂ and the driverMISFET Qd₂ over the principal faces of the active regions of the p-typewell 3 and the n-type well 4. Next, the silicon oxide 14 covering thegate electrodes 11 a and 11 b of the regions where the contact holes forconnections of the local wiring lines set up in the later step are madeis etched and thinned.

Next, the side wall spacer 13 is formed on the side walls of the gateelectrode 9 (the word line WL) and the gate electrodes 11 a and 11 b.After this, the n-type semiconductor region 7 (the source and drainregions of the transfer MISFETs Qt₁ and Qt₂) and the n-typesemiconductor region 10 (the source and drain regions of the driverMISFETs Qd₁ and Qd₂) are formed in the p-type well 3, and the p-typesemiconductor region 12 (the source and drain regions of the loadMISFETs Qp₁ and Qp₂) is formed in the n-type well 4. The steps up tothis are identical to those of the foregoing Embodiment 2.

Next, in the present embodiment, the silicon nitride film 40 isdeposited on the semiconductor substrate 1 by a CVD method, as shown inFIG. 41. After this, the silicon nitride film 40 and the underlyinginsulating film (the insulating film formed in the same layer as that ofthe gate insulating film 9) are etched to make contact holes 50 reachingthe drain region (the p-type semiconductor region 12) of the load MISFETQp1, as shown in FIG. 42.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 43 and 44, the polycrystalline silicon film,deposited by a CVD method, is patterned to form a lower electrode 51 ofthe capacitor element C. At this time, in the present embodiment, thelower electrode 51 is composed of a p-type polycrystalline silicon filmand is connected directly to the drain region (the p-type semiconductorregion 12) of the load MISFET Qp₁ through the contact hole 50.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 45 and 46, the capacitor insulating film 18,composed of the silicon nitride film deposited by a CVD method, and theunderlying insulating film (formed in the same layer as that of the gateinsulating film 9) are etched to make contact holes 52 reaching thedrain region (the n-type semiconductor region 10) of the driver MISFETQd₁. After this, the n-type polycrystalline silicon film, a deposited bya CVD method, is patterned to form an upper electrode 53 of thecapacitor element C. This upper electrode 53 is connected through thecontact hole 52 to the drain region (the n-type semiconductor region 10)of the driver MISFET Qd₁. The regions indicated by the gray patterns ofFIG. 47 are the ones (where the capacitor element C of the embodiment isto be formed) where the lower electrodes 51 and the upper electrodes 53overlap with each other.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 48 and 49, the interlayer insulating film 21 ofthe BPSG film is deposited by a CVD method, and its surface is flattenedby reflow. After this, by using a photoresist as the mask, theinterlayer insulating film 21 is etched at first. Subsequently, thecapacitor insulating film 18 and the upper electrode 52 or the lowerelectrode 51 below the interlayer insulating film 21, and the underlyingsilicon nitride film 40, the silicon oxide film 14 and the insulatingfilm (formed in the same insulating film as that of the gate insulatingfilm 9) are etched to make the contact hole 27 reaching the sourceregions (the p-type semiconductor region 12) of the load MISFETs Qp₁ andQp₂, the contact hole 28 reaching the source regions (the n-typesemiconductor region 10) of the driver MISFETs Qd₁ and Qd₂, the contacthole 29 reaching the source regions (the n-type semiconductor region 7)of the transfer MISFETs Qt₁ and Qt₂, a contact hole 54 reaching the gateelectrode 11 a common to the load MISFET Qp₁ and the driver MISFET Qd₁and the drain region (the n-type semiconductor region 10) of the driverMISFET Qd₂, a contact hole 55 reaching the gate electrode 11 b common tothe load MISFET Qp₂ and the driver MISFET Qd₂ and the drain region (thep-type semiconductor region 12) of the load MISFET Qp₁, a contact hole57 reaching the upper electrode 53 over the drain region (the n-typesemiconductor region 10) of the MISFET Qd₁, and a contact hole 58reaching the lower electrode 51 over the drain region (the p-typesemiconductor region 12) of the load MISFET Qp₂. Incidentally, portion(a) of FIG. 48 shows a section of the portion of the contact hole 57,and portion (b) of FIG. 48 shows a section of the portion of the contacthole 58.

The gate electrode 11 a is partially exposed from the bottom of thecontact hole 54 after this contact hole 54 is made, and the gateelectrode 11 b is partially exposed for the bottom of the contact hole55 after this contact hole 55 is made. Since the silicon oxide film 14over the gate electrodes 11 a and 11 b in that region is thinned inadvance, as described hereinbefore, the erosion of the field insulatingfilm 2 due to the misalignment of the resist masks used for making thecontact holes 54 and 55, can be suppressed, providing effects similar tothose of the foregoing Embodiment 2.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 50 and 51, the Al alloy film deposited on theinterlayer insulating film 21 by sputtering is patterned to form thelocal wiring lines L₁ and L₂, the power voltage line 22A, the referencevoltage line 22B and the pad layers 22C.

As a result, one end portion of one local wiring line L₂ is connectedthrough the contact hole 54 to the gate electrode 11 a common to thedriver MISFET Qd₁ and the load MISFET Qp₁ and the drain region (then-type semiconductor region 10 and the storage node B) of the driverMISFET Qd₂, and the other end portion of the local wiring line L₂ isconnected through the contact hole 58 to the lower electrode 51 andthrough the contact hole 50 to the drain region (the p-typesemiconductor region 12) of the load MISFET Qp₂. In other words, thedrain region (the n-type semiconductor region 10 and the storage node B)of the driver MISFET Qd₂, the drain region (the p-type semiconductorregion 12) of the load MISFET Qp₂, and the gate electrode 11 a common tothe driver MISFET Qd₁ and the load MISFET Qp₁ are connected to eachother through the local wiring line L₂ and the lower electrode 51.

One end portion of the other local wiring line L₁ is connected throughthe contact hole 55 to the gate electrode 11 b common to the driverMISFET Qd₂ and the load MISFET Qp₂ and the drain region (the p-typesemiconductor region 12) of the load MISFET Qp₁ and the other endportion of the local wiring line L₁ is connected through the contacthole 57 to the upper electrode 53, and further connected through thecontact hole 52 to the drain region (the n-type semiconductor region 10and the storage node A) of the driver MISFET Qd₁. In other words, thedrain region (the n-type semiconductor region 10 and the storage node A)of the driver MISFET Qd₁, the drain region (the p-type semiconductorregion 12) of the load MISFET Qp₁, and the gate electrode 11 b common tothe driver MISFET Qd₂ and the load MISFET Qp₂ are connected to eachother through the local wiring line L₁ and the upper electrode 53.

The power voltage line 22A is connected through the contact hole 27 tothe source regions (the p-type semiconductor region 12) of the loadMISFETs Qp₁ and Qp₂, and the reference voltage line 22B is connectedthrough the contact hole 28 to the source regions (the n-typesemiconductor region 10) of the driver MISFETs Qd₁ and Qd₂. Moreover,one of the paired pad layers 22C is connected through the contact hole29 with the drain region (or the n-type semiconductor region 7) of thetransfer MISFET Qt₁, whereas the other is connected through the contacthole 29 with the drain region (or the n-type semiconductor region 7) ofthe transfer MISFET Qt₂.

After this, as shown in FIG. 52, the contact hole 32 is made in theinterlayer insulating film 31 which is composed of a silicon oxide filmdeposited by a CVD method. After this, the Al alloy film deposited onthe interlayer insulating film 31 by sputtering is patterned to form thedata lines DL and /DL, which are connected to the pad layers 22C throughthe contact hole 32.

In the peripheral circuit such as the input/output protective circuit ofthe SRAM of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 53, there is formedthe capacitor element C which has substantially the same structure asthat of the capacitor element C of the aforementioned memory cells. Thelower electrode 51 of this capacitor element C is composed of thesecond-level layer p-type polycrystalline silicon film in the same stepas that of the lower electrode 51 of the capacitor element C of thememory cells. The capacitor insulating film 18 is composed of a siliconnitride film in the same step as that of the capacitor insulating film18 of the capacitor element C of the memory cells. The upper electrode53 is composed of the third-level layer n-type polycrystalline siliconfilm in the same step as that of the upper electrode 53 of the capacitorelement C of the memory cells.

The lower electrode 51 of this capacitor element C is connected to thep-type semiconductor region 34 of the n-type well 4, and further to thewiring line 22D through the contact hole 36 made in the interlayerinsulating film 21. The upper electrode 53 is connected to the n-typesemiconductor region 33 of the n-channel type MISFETs Qn, and further tothe wiring line 22D through the contact hole 35 made in the interlayerinsulating film 21. Another n-type semiconductor region 33 of then-channel type MISFETs Qn is connected to the wiring line 22D throughthe same third-level layer n-type polycrystalline silicon film as thatof the upper electrode 53 of the capacitor element C. In the presentembodiment, the second-level layer polycrystalline silicon film is ofp-type, so that the p-type semiconductor region of the p-channel typeMISFETs of the peripheral circuit (not shown), and the wiring lines canbe connected through the pad layers which are composed of that p-typepolycrystalline silicon film.

Although the invention has been specifically described in connectionwith its embodiments, it should not be limited thereto but can naturallybe modified in various manners without departing from the gist thereof.

Embodiment 4

The process for manufacturing the memory cells of the SRAM of thepresent embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 54 to 64.Incidentally, of the individual Figures showing the memory cellmanufacturing process, the top plan views show only the conductive filmsand the contact holes but not the insulating films.

First of all, as shown in FIG. 54, the driver MISFETs Qd₁ and Qd₂, theload MISFETs Qp₁ and Qp₂ and the transfer MISFETs Qt₁ and Qt₂ areformed, and a silicon nitride film 40 is deposited thereon.

Specifically, the gate electrodes (the word line WL) of the transferMISFETs Qt₁ and Qt₂, the gate electrode 11 a common to the load MISFETQp₁ and the driver MISFET Qd₁, and the gate electrode 11 b common to theload MISFET Qp₂ and the driver MISFET Qd₂ are formed on the principalfaces of the active regions of the p-type well 3 and the n-type well 4.After this, the silicon oxide film 14 over the gate electrodes 11 a and11 b is partially etched and thinned by using a photoresist as the mask.Subsequently, the side wall spacers 13 are formed on the side walls ofthe gate electrode 9 (the word line WL) and the gate electrodes 11 a and11 b. After this, by ion implantation using a photoresist as the mask,the n-type semiconductor region 7 (the source and drain regions of thetransfer MISFETs Qt₁ and Qt₂) and the n-type semiconductor region 10(the source and drain regions of the driver MISFETs Qd₁ and Qd₂) areformed in the p-type well 3, and the p-type semiconductor region 12 (thesource and drain regions of the load MISFETs Qp₁ and Qp₂) is formed inthe n-type well 4. After this, the silicon nitride film 40 is depositedon the semiconductor substrate 1 by a CVD method.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 55 and 56, the n-type polycrystalline siliconfilm deposited over the silicon nitride film 40 by the CVD method ispatterned to form the lower electrode 61 of the capacitor element C.This lower electrode 61 is different in pattern from the lower electrode41 of the foregoing Embodiment 2, and part of the lower electrode 61covers the drain region (the n-type semiconductor region 10) of thedriver MISFET Qd₁ and the drain region (the p-type semiconductor region12) of the load MISFET Qp₁, as shown in FIG. 56.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 57 and 58, the capacitor insulating film 18 of asilicon nitride film is deposited by a CVD method. The n-typepolycrystalline silicon film deposited on the capacitor insulating film18 by the CVD method is patterned to form the upper electrode 62 of thecapacitor element C. This upper electrode 62 is different in patternfrom the upper electrode 42 of the foregoing embodiment, and part of theupper electrode 62 covers the drain region (the n-type semiconductorregion 10) of the driver MISFET Qd₂ and the drain region (the p-typesemiconductor region 12) of the load MISFET Qp₂, as shown in FIG. 58.The regions indicated by the gray patterns of FIG. 59 are the ones(where the capacitor element C of the embodiment is to be formed) wherethe lower electrodes 61 and the upper electrodes 62 overlap with eachother.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 60 and 61, the interlayer insulating film 21 ofa BPSG film is deposited by a CVD method, and its surface is flattenedby reflow. After this, using a photoresist as a mask, the interlayerinsulating film 21 is etched, and then the upper electrode 62 underlyingthe interlayer insulating film 21, the capacitor insulating film 18, thelower electrode 61, the silicon nitride film 40, the silicon oxide film14 and the insulating film (insulating film in the same layer as that ofthe gate insulating film 9) is etched, to make the contact hole 27reaching the source regions (or the p-type semiconductor region 12) ofthe load MISFETs Qp₁ and Qp₂, the contact hole 28 reaching the sourceregions (the n-type semiconductor region 10) of the driver MISFETs Qd₁and Qd₂, the contact hole 29 reaching the source regions (the n-typesemiconductor region 7) of the transfer MISFETs Qt₁ and Qt₂, a contacthole 63 reaching the gate electrode 11 a common to the load MISFET Qp₁and the driver MISFET Qd₁ and the drain region (the n-type semiconductorregion 10) of the driver MISFET Qd₂, a contact hole 64 reaching the gateelectrode 11 b common to the load MISFET Qp₂ and the driver MISFET Qd₂and the drain region (the p-type semiconductor region 12) of the loadMISFET Qp₁, a contact hole 65 reaching the drain region (the n-typesemiconductor region 10) of the driver MISFET Qd₁, and a contact hole 66reaching the drain region (the p-type semiconductor region 12) of theload MISFET Qp₂. Portion (a) of FIG. 60 shows a section of the portionof the contact hole 65, and portion (b) of FIG. 60 shows a section ofthe portion of the contact hole 66.

The aforementioned contact hole 63 extends through a portion of theupper electrode 62 and reaches the gate electrode 11 a and the drainregion (the n-type semiconductor region 10), so that the upper electrode62 is partially exposed from the side wall of the contact hole 63, asshown in FIG. 60. Moreover, the contact hole 66 also extends through aportion of the upper electrode 62 and reaches the drain region (then-type semiconductor region 12), so that the upper electrode 62 ispartially exposed from the side wall of the contact hole 63. Moreover,the contact hole 64 extends through a portion of the lower electrode 61and reaches the gate electrode 11 and the drain region (the n-typesemiconductor region 12), so that the lower electrode 61 is partiallyexposed from the side wall of the contact hole 64, as shown in FIG. 60.Moreover, the contact hole 65 also extends through a portion of thelower electrode 61 and reaches the drain region (the n-typesemiconductor region 10)., so that the lower electrode 61 is partiallyexposed from the side wall of the contact hole 65.

Incidentally, the gate electrode 11 a is partially exposed from thebottom of the contact hole 63, and the gate electrode 11 b is partiallyexposed from the bottom of the contact hole 64. Since, however, thesilicon oxide film 14 over the gate electrodes 11 a and 11 b in thisregion is thinned in advance, as described hereinbefore, the gateelectrodes 11 a and 11 b can be exposed by etching for a short time,providing effects similar to those of the foregoing Embodiment 2.

Next, as shown in FIG. 62, a tungsten (W) film deposited on theinterlayer insulating film 21 by sputtering or by a CVD method is etchedback to bury a W film 67 in the aforementioned contact holes 63 to 66.

Since the upper electrode 62 is partially exposed from the side wall ofthe contact hole 62 and the side wall of the contact hole 66, asdescribed hereinbefore, the drain region (the n-type semiconductorregion 10 and the storage node B) of the driver MISFET Qd₂, the drainregion (the p-type semiconductor region 12) of the load MISFET Qp₂, andthe gate electrode 11 a common to the driver MISFET Qd₁ and the loadMISFET Qp₁ are connected to each other through the W film buried in thecontact holes 63 and 66 and the upper electrode 62.

Since, moreover, the lower electrode 61 is partially exposed from theside wall of the contact hole 64 and the side wall of the contact hole65, the drain region (the n-type semiconductor region 10 and the storagenode A) of the driver MISFET Qd₁, the drain region (the p-typesemiconductor region 12) of the load MISFET Qp₁, and the gate electrode11 b common to the driver MISFET Qd₂ and the load MISFET Qp₂ areconnected to each other through the W film 67 which are buried in thecontact holes 64 and 65 and the lower electrode 61.

Thus, in the foregoing Embodiments 1 to 3, the local wiring lines (L₁and L₂) are composed of the Al alloy film which is deposited on theinterlayer insulating film 21 by sputtering. In the present embodiment,on the other hand, the W film 67 buried in the contact holes 63 to 66,and the upper electrode 62 and the lower electrode 61 of the capacitorelement C are utilized as the local wiring lines. As a result, when thepower voltage line 22A, the reference voltage line 22B and the padlayers 22C are formed of the Al alloy film which is deposited on theinterlayer insulating film 21, as shown in FIG. 63, other wiring lines(e.g., the wiring lines for reinforcing the reference voltage line andthe power voltage line, and the divided word lines) can be arranged inthe regions, in which the local wiring lines are arranged in theforegoing Embodiments 1 to 3, improving the operation reliability of thememory cells and the degree of freedom of designing the wiring lines.

After this, the contact hole 32 is made in the interlayer insulatingfilm 31 which is composed of a silicon oxide film deposited by the CVDmethod, as shown in FIG. 64. After this, The Al alloy film deposited onthe interlayer insulating film 31 by sputtering is patterned to form thedata lines DL and /DL and to connect the data lines DL and /DL and thepad layers 22C through the contact hole 32.

Incidentally, in the present embodiment, the W film is buried in thecontact holes 63 to 66, but a metallic material other than W may also beburied. The metal to be buried at this time in the contact holes 63 to66 has to be selected from those which are hard to erode by the dryetching treatment when the Al alloy film deposited on the interlayerinsulating film 21 is patterned to form the power voltage line 22A, thereference voltage line 22B and the pad layers 22C. Since, moreover, thebottoms of the contact holes 63 to 66 are in contact with thesemiconductor region (the n-type semiconductor region 10 or the p-typesemiconductor region 12), the metal to be buried in the contact holes 63to 66 has to be selected from those in which impurities in thesemiconductor region are hard to diffuse. However, these requirement areignored when a metal silicide layer in which the rate of diffusion ofimpurities is low is formed on the surface of the semiconductor region.

By using the upper electrode and the lower electrode of the capacitorelement as the local wiring lines, according to the present invention,it is unnecessary to provide local wiring lines additionally andconsequently other wiring lines can be arranged in the region wherelocal wiring lines are provided, thereby improving the operationreliability of the memory cells and the degree of freedom of designingthe wiring lines.

Although the invention made by the inventors has been specificallydescribed in connection with its embodiments, it should not be limitedthereto but can naturally be modified in various manners withoutdeparting from the gist thereof.

The effects obtained from a representative of the invention disclosedherein will be briefly described in the following.

According to the present invention, one of the electrodes of thecapacitor element formed over the memory cell is connected to onestorage node, whereas the other electrode is connected to the otherstorage node, so that sufficient charge is fed to the storage nodesthrough the capacitor element. As a result, even when the memory cell isminiaturized or even when the operation voltage is lowered, thepotential fluctuation of the storage nodes due to alpha rays issuppressed, improving the soft error resistance of the memory cell.

By constructing the capacitor element of the peripheral circuit usingthe two-layered conductive film deposited on the semiconductorsubstrate, according to the present invention, the area occupied by theelements can be made smaller than that of the capacitor element usingthe diffusion layer (the pn junction) formed over the semiconductorsubstrate, so that the area of the peripheral circuit can be reduced andthe degree of integration of the SRAM can be raised.

By connecting the semiconductor regions of the MISFETs and the wiringlines through the pad layers which are formed in the same step as thatof the electrodes of the capacitor element, according to the presentinvention, the mask alignment margin at the time when the connection ismade over the semiconductor region can be reduced by etching using aphotoresist as the mask. Thus the area of the MISFETs can be reduced,and the degree of integration of the SRAM can be raised.

By thinning a portion of the insulating film covering the gateelectrodes prior to the step of making contact holes reaching the gateelectrodes, according to the present invention, the gate electrodes canbe exposed by performing etching for a short time, so that the otherregions can be prevented from being over-etched to prevent the erosionof the field insulating film. This makes it possible to improve themanufacturing yield and the reliability of the semiconductor integratedcircuit device having the SRAM.

1. A semiconductor integrated circuit device, comprising: asemiconductor substrate including a memory cell formed on a memory cellforming region of said substrate; said memory cell including a firstn-channel MISFET, a second n-channel MISFET, a first p-channel MISFETand a second p-channel MISFET, each having a gate electrode formed onsaid memory cell forming region and a source region and a drain regionformed in said substrate, said first n-channel MISFET being arranged ina first direction adjacent to said first p-channel MISFET such that saidgate electrode of said first n-channel MISFET is integrally formed withsaid gate electrode of said first p-channel MISFET by a first commongate electrode extending in said first direction, and said secondn-channel MISFET being arranged in said first direction adjacent to saidsecond p-channel MISFET such that said gate electrode of said secondn-channel MISFET is integrally formed with said gate electrode of saidsecond p-channel MISFET by a second common gate electrode extending insaid first direction; a nitride film containing silicon and nitrogen andformed so as to cover said first common gate electrode and said secondcommon gate electrode and said drain regions of said first and secondn-channel MISFETs and said first and second p-channel MISFETs; a firstinsulating film formed on said nitride film to cover said nitride filmsuch that after planarizing a surface of said first insulating film,said first insulating film is etched by using said nitride film as anetching stopper to form a first opening and a second opening and suchthat said nitride film within said openings is etched so as to exposesaid drain region of said second n-channel MISFET in said first openingand to expose said second common gate electrode and said drain region ofsaid first p-channel MISFET in said second opening; a first conductivefilm filled in said first opening so as to electrically connect to saiddrain region of said second n-channel MISFET; and a second conductivefilm filled in said second opening so as to electrically connect saidsecond common gate electrode and said drain region of said firstp-channel MISFET, wherein said first common gate electrode, said drainregion of said second n-channel MISFET, said drain region of said secondp-channel MISFET and said first conductive film are electricallyconnected with each other, and wherein said second common gateelectrode, said drain region of said first n-channel MISFET, said drainregion of said first p-channel MISFET and said second conductive filmare electrically connected with each other.
 2. A semiconductorintegrated circuit device, comprising: a semiconductor substrateincluding a memory cell formed on a memory cell forming region of saidsubstrate, said memory cell including a first n-channel MISFET, a secondn-channel MISFET, a first p-channel MISFET and a second p-channelMISFET, each having a gate electrode formed on said memory cell formingregion and a source region and a drain region formed in said substrate,said first n-channel MISFET being arranged in a first direction adjacentto said first p-channel MISFET such that said gate electrode of saidfirst n-channel MISFET is integrally formed with said gate electrode ofsaid first p-channel MISFET by a first common gate electrode extendingin said first direction, and said second n-channel MISFET being arrangedin said first direction adjacent to said second p-channel MISFET suchthat said gate electrode of said second n-channel MISFET is integrallyformed with said gate electrode of said second p-channel MISFET by asecond common gate electrode extending in said first direction; anitride film containing silicon and nitrogen and formed so as to coversaid first common gate electrode and said second common gate electrodeand said drain regions of said first and second n-channel MISFETs andsaid first and second p-channel MISFETs; a first insulating film formedon said nitride film so as to cover said nitride film such that afterplanarizing a surface of said first insulating film, said firstinsulating film is etched by using said nitride film as an etchingstopper to form a first opening and a second opening and such that saidnitride film within said openings is etched to expose said drain regionof said second n-channel MISFET in said first opening and to expose saidsecond common gate electrode and said drain region of said firstp-channel MISFET in said second opening; a first conductive film filledin said first opening to electrically connect to said drain region ofsaid second n-channel MISFET; a second conductive film filled in saidsecond opening to electrically connect said second common gate electrodeand said drain region of said first p-channel MISFET, wherein said firstcommon gate electrode, said drain region of said second n-channelMISFET, said drain region of said second p-channel MISFET and said firstconductive film are electrically connected with each other, and whereinsaid second common gate electrode, said drain region of said firstn-channel MISFET, said drain region of said first p-channel MISFET andsaid second conductive film are electrically connected with each other;and a first power source line and a second power source line formed oversaid first insulating film of a same level conductive layer, whereinsaid first power source line and said second power source line extend ina second direction perpendicular to said first direction.
 3. Asemiconductor integrated circuit device, comprising: a semiconductorsubstrate including a memory cell formed on a memory cell forming regionof said substrate, said memory cell including a first n-channel MISFET,a second n-channel MISFET, a first p-channel MISFET and a secondp-channel MISFET, each having a gate electrode formed on said memorycell forming region and a source region and a drain region formed insaid substrate, said first n-channel MISFET being arranged in a firstdirection adjacent to said first p-channel MISFET such that said gateelectrode of said first n-channel MISFET is integrally formed with saidgate electrode of said first p-channel MISFET by a first common gateelectrode extending in said first direction, and said second n-channelMISFET being arranged in said first direction adjacent to said secondp-channel MISFET such that said gate electrode of said second n-channelMISFET is integrally formed with said gate electrode of said secondp-channel MISFET by a second common gate electrode extending in saidfirst direction; a nitride film containing silicon and nitrogen andformed so as to cover said first common gate electrode and said secondcommon gate electrode and said drain regions of said first and secondn-channel MISFETs and said first and second p-channel MISFETs; a firstinsulating film formed on said nitride film to cover said nitride filmsuch that after planarizing a surface of said first insulating film,said first insulating film is etched by using said nitride film as anetching stopper to form a first opening and a second opening and suchthat said nitride film within said openings is etched to expose saidfirst common gate electrode and said drain region of said secondn-channel MISFET in said first opening and to expose said drain regionof said first p-channel MISFET in said second opening; a firstconductive film filled in said first opening to electrically connect tosaid first common gate electrode and said drain region of said secondn-channel MISFET; and a second conductive film filled in said secondopening to electrically connect said drain region of said firstp-channel MISFET, wherein said first common gate electrode, said drainregion of said second n-channel MISFET, said drain region of said secondp-channel MISFET and said first conductive film are electricallyconnected with each other, and wherein said second common gateelectrode, said drain region of said first n-channel MISFET, said drainregion of said first p-channel MISFET and said second conductive filmare electrically connected with each other.
 4. A semiconductorintegrated circuit device, comprising: a semiconductor substrateincluding a memory cell formed on a memory cell forming region of saidsubstrate, said memory cell including a first n-channel MISFET, a secondn-channel MISFET, a first p-channel MISFET and a second p-channelMISFET, each having a gate electrode formed on said memory cell formingregion and a source region and a drain region formed in said substrate,said first n-channel MISFET being arranged in a first direction adjacentto said first p-channel MISFET such that said gate electrode of saidfirst n-channel MISFET is integrally formed with said gate electrode ofsaid first p-channel MISFET by a first common gate electrode extendingin said first direction, and said second n-channel MISFET being arrangedin said first direction adjacent to said second p-channel MISFET suchthat said gate electrode of said second n-channel MISFET is integrallyformed with said gate electrode of said second p-channel MISFET by asecond common gate electrode extending in said first direction; anitride film containing silicon and nitrogen and formed so as to coversaid first common gate electrode and said second common gate electrodeand said drain regions of said first and second n-channel MISFETs andsaid first and second p-channel MISFETs; a first insulating film formedon said nitride film to cover said nitride film such that afterplanarizing a surface of said first insulating film, said firstinsulating film is etched by using said nitride film as an etchingstopper to form a first opening and a second opening and such that saidnitride film within said openings is etched to expose said first commongate electrode and said drain region of said second n-channel MISFET insaid first opening and to expose said drain region of said firstp-channel MISFET in said second opening; a first conductive film filledin said first opening to electrically connect to said first common gateelectrode and said drain region of said second n-channel MISFET; asecond conductive film filled in said second opening to electricallyconnect said drain region of said first p-channel MISFET, wherein saidfirst common gate electrode, said drain region of said second n-channelMISFET, said drain region of said second p-channel MISFET and said firstconductive film are electrically connected with each other, and whereinsaid second common gate electrode, said drain region of said firstn-channel MISFET, said drain region of said first p-channel MISFET andsaid second conductive film are electrically connected with each other;and a first power source line and a second power source line formed oversaid first insulating film of a same level conductive layer, whereinsaid first power source line and said second power source line extend ina second direction perpendicular to said first direction.
 5. Asemiconductor integrated circuit device, comprising: a semiconductorsubstrate including a memory cell formed on a memory cell forming regionof said substrate and a peripheral MISFET formed on a peripheral MISFETforming region, said memory cell including a first n-channel MISFET, asecond n-channel MISFET, a first p-channel MISFET and a second p-channelMISFET, each having a gate electrode formed on said memory cell formingregion and a source region and a drain region formed in said substrate,said first n-channel MISFET being arranged in a first direction adjacentto said first p-channel MISFET such that said gate electrode of saidfirst n-channel MISFET is integrally formed with said gate electrode ofsaid first p-channel MISFET by a first common gate electrode extendingin said first direction, said second n-channel MISFET being arranged insaid first direction adjacent to said second p-channel MISFET such thatsaid gate electrode of said second n-channel MISFET is integrally formedwith said gate electrode of said second p-channel MISFET by a secondcommon gate electrode extending in said first direction, and saidperipheral MISFET including a gate electrode formed on said peripheralMISFET forming region and a source region and a drain region formed insaid substrate; a nitride film containing silicon and nitrogen andformed so as to cover said first common gate electrode and said secondcommon gate electrode, said drain regions of said first and secondn-channel MISFETs and said first and second p-channel MISFETs, said gateelectrode of said peripheral MISFET and said source and drain regions ofsaid peripheral MISFET; a first insulating film formed on said nitridefilm to cover said nitride film such that after planarizing a surface ofsaid first insulating film, said first insulating film is etched byusing said nitride film as an etching stopper to form a first opening, asecond opening and a third opening and such that said nitride filmwithin said openings is etched to expose said drain region of saidsecond n-channel MISFET in said first opening, to expose said secondcommon gate electrode and said drain region of said first p-channelMISFET in said second opening, and to expose said drain region or saidsource region of said peripheral MISFET in said third opening; a firstconductive film filled in said first opening to electrically connect tosaid drain region of said second n-channel MISFET; a second conductivefilm filled in said second opening to electrically connect said secondcommon gate electrode to said drain region of said first p-channelMISFET; and a third conductive film filled in said third opening toelectrically connect to said drain region or said source region of saidperipheral MISFET, wherein said first common gate electrode, said drainregion of said second n-channel MISFET, said drain region of said secondp-channel MISFET and said first conductive film are electricallyconnected with each other, and wherein said second common gateelectrode, said drain region of said first n-channel MISFET, said drainregion of said first p-channel MISFET and said second conductive filmare electrically connected with each other.
 6. A semiconductorintegrated circuit device, comprising: a semiconductor substrateincluding a memory cell formed on a memory cell forming region of saidsubstrate and a further MISFET formed on a peripheral circuit formingregion, said memory cell including a first n-channel MISFET, a secondn-channel MISFET, a first p-channel MISFET and a second p-channelMISFET, each having a gate electrode formed on said memory cell formingregion and a source region and a drain region formed in said substrate,said gate electrode of said first n-channel MISFET being integrallyformed with said gate electrode of said first p-channel MISFET by afirst common gate electrode, said gate electrode of said secondn-channel MISFET being integrally formed with said gate electrode ofsaid second p-channel MISFET by a second common gate electrode, and saidfurther MISFET including a gate electrode formed on said peripheralcircuit forming region and a source region and a drain region formed insaid substrate; a nitride film containing silicon and nitrogen andformed so as to cover said first common gate electrode and said secondcommon gate electrode, said drain regions of said first and secondn-channel MISFETs and said first and second p-channel MISFETs, said gateelectrode of said further MISFET and said source region and said drainregion of said further MISFET; a first insulating film formed on saidnitride film to cover said nitride film such that after planarizing asurface of said first insulating film, said first insulating film isetched by using said nitride film as an etching stopper to form a firstopening, a second opening and a third opening and such that said nitridefilm within said openings is etched to expose said drain region of saidsecond n-channel MISFET in said first opening, to expose said secondcommon gate electrode and said drain region of said first p-channelMISFET in said second opening, and to expose said drain region or saidsource region of said further MISFET in said third opening; a firstconductive film filled in said first opening to electrically connect tosaid drain region of said second n-channel MISFET; a second conductivefilm filled in said second opening to electrically connect said secondcommon gate electrode to said drain region of said first p-channelMISFET; and a third conductive film filled in said third opening toelectrically connect to said drain region or said source region of saidfurther MISFET, wherein said first common gate electrode, said drainregion of said second n-channel MISFET, said drain region of said secondp-channel MISFET and said first conductive film are electricallyconnected with each other, and wherein said second common gateelectrode, said drain region of said first n-channel MISFET, said drainregion of said first p-channel MISFET and said second conductive filmare electrically connected with each other.
 7. A semiconductorintegrated circuit device, comprising: a semiconductor substrateincluding a memory cell formed on a memory cell forming region of saidsubstrate and a peripheral MISFET formed on a peripheral MISFET formingregion, said memory cell including a first n-channel MISFET, a secondn-channel MISFET, a first p-channel MISFET and a second p-channelMISFET, each having a gate electrode formed on said memory cell formingregion and a source region and a drain region formed in said substrate,said gate electrode of said first n-channel MISFET being integrallyformed with said gate electrode of said first p-channel MISFET by afirst common gate electrode, said gate electrode of said secondn-channel MISFET being integrally formed with said gate electrode ofsaid second p-channel MISFET by a second common gate electrode, and saidperipheral MISFET including a gate electrode formed on said peripheralMISFET forming region and a source region and a drain region formed insaid substrate; a silicon nitride film formed to cover said first commongate electrode and said second common gate electrode, said drain regionsof said first and second n-channel MISFETs and said first and secondp-channel MISFETs, said gate electrode of said peripheral MISFET andsaid source region and said drain region of said peripheral MISFET; afirst insulating film formed on said nitride film to cover said nitridefilm such that after planarizing a surface of said first insulatingfilm, said first insulating film is etched by using said silicon nitridefilm as an etching stopper to form a first opening, a second opening anda third opening and such that said nitride film within said openings isetched to expose said drain region of said second n-channel MISFET insaid first opening, to expose said second common gate electrode and saiddrain region of said first p-channel MISFET in said second opening, andto expose said drain region or said source region of said peripheralMISFET in said third opening; a first conductive film filled in saidfirst opening to electrically connect to said drain region of saidsecond n-channel MISFET; a second conductive film filled in said secondopening to electrically connect said second common gate electrode tosaid drain region of said first p-channel MISFET; and a third conductivefilm filled in said third opening to electrically connect to said drainregion or said source region of said peripheral MISFET, wherein saidfirst common gate electrode, said drain region of said second n-channelMISFET, said drain region of said second p-channel MISFET and said firstconductive film are electrically connected with each other, and whereinsaid second common gate electrode, said drain region of said firstn-channel MISFET, said drain region of said first p-channel MISFET andsaid second conductive film are electrically connected with each other.8. A semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 1,wherein said nitride film is a silicon nitride film.
 9. A semiconductorintegrated circuit device according to claim 2, wherein said nitridefilm is a silicon nitride film.
 10. A semiconductor integrated circuitdevice according to claim 3, wherein said nitride film is a siliconnitride film.
 11. A semiconductor integrated circuit device according toclaim 4, wherein said nitride film is a silicon nitride film.
 12. Asemiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 5, whereinsaid nitride film is a silicon nitride film.
 13. A semiconductorintegrated circuit device according to claim 6, wherein said nitridefilm is a silicon nitride film.
 14. A semiconductor integrated circuitdevice according to claim 7, wherein said nitride film is a siliconnitride film.